Turn My Way
by Problem Child1
Summary: She laughed.“And here I was expecting something romantic.” “Love, are you insinuating that what I just said was not, in fact, romantic enough for you? That was plenty romantic. FinnRory
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way."

A/N: PDLD stands for punch-drunk love duo. PDLD sounds cool, though. Yes, yet another Finn/Rory. I'm sure you're all getting extremely tired of them, but I don't care… that much. Haha. Just kidding. It starts in the future, but then goes to the past. Or, it will go the past, if that made any sense. Happy reading!

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Future:

It was hard not to take to eyes off the happy couple. They just looked so content together, so blissful the way she'd laugh at something he had said, or the way his eyes never left hers as he spun her around the dance floor.

She looked elegant in her white dress, and he looked dashing in a top hat and tails. She wore a tiara atop her head, a remnant of the first time the groom had really seen her. It was a winter wedding, as per her request. She was even lucky enough that it snowed the say before. The wedding was also at night, as he wanted it to be.

Her mother stood off to the side with her arms around her husband's waist, a smile dancing on her lips. She was the maid of honor, with Paris and Lane as bridesmaids. Tristan and Colin, the two groomsmen, were laughing. Occasionally, Tristan would glance up at the bride for a split second, but not long enough for anyone to notice.

Logan tore his eyes away from the dancing couple. He was truly happy for them. He no longer felt that way about Rory. And Finn was his best friend. She did well for him, and Logan knew he would do good by her.

Colin and Tristan joined him. "And then there was three," Colin intoned.

Logan laughed. "Well, I'm happy for him. He's follow her to the ends of the Earth."

"Wouldn't we all?" Tristan asked.

"No need to be jealous," Logan teased.

"She looks beautiful," Colin commented.

The other two nodded in agreement. Colin suddenly started to snicker. Tristan and Logan stared at him curiously.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Tristan questioned.

"Out of all of us, did you actually think Finn of all people would be the first to get married?" he explained.

Logan grinned and Tristan smirked. They both shook their heads in amazement.

"I always figured he'd marry at seventy to a twenty-something year old looking to inherit all his money," Tristan admitted.

"That's gonna happen to you, DuGrey," Logan replied.

"Don't I wish."

"Don't you wish what?" Lorelai asked.

"That I'd marry a twenty year old at seventy," Tristan answered. "Care for a spin around the dance floor, Lor?"

Lorelai shook her head. "Not yet. It's mandatory for the maid of honor to dance with the best man, is it not?"

Logan took her offered hand. "The lady's wish is my command."

Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck. They both glanced over at Rory and Finn during the slow song. He was holding her close and had his forehead rested on hers. Her eyes closed when he leaned down to kiss her.

"Do you sometimes wish that was you?" Lorelai suddenly asked him.

Logan shrugged. "Sometimes. She has the ability to attract everyone to her, she just doesn't know it."

"It's a gift of hers. You and Tristan both know that."

"If that was a jab, I'm insulted."

"You know just as well as I do that when I insult you, you'll know it."

Logan changed the topic. "So, what's your plan now that Rory is off and married?"

"The same, with more open weeping." Logan laughed. "But she's been off doing her own thing for a while, you know that. She's always checked in with me. It won't be any different, except now I expect grandchildren."

"They'll have pretty children," Logan mused.

"Better keep them away from you, then," Lorelai teased.

"That was a jab."

"You caught me."

The song ended, and Logan kissed Lorelai on the cheek before Tristan butted in for his turn to dance with her.

She giggled as Tristan twirled her around. "Such attention from the young men, I feel like I'm the one getting married. Or Miss Patty."

Tristan smirked. "Like your wedding wasn't a spectacle. I do believe that it was you who came down the aisle holding a bottle of ketchup."

"And all the bridesmaids had fries, except Rory, who got onion rings," Lorelai added with a laugh.

"You never did tell me what prompted that public adoration of food," he prodded.

"It was my mother's suggestion, actually."

"Why don't I believe that? I'm surprised she didn't force you to keep with tradition, or at least the theme that she wanted."

"She was kidding when she told me. Plus, she wanted the theme to be the Romanovs."

"I'm guessing this was before the firing squad."

"That's what I said!" she exclaimed.

Tristan fell silent for a minute, then asked, "How're Emily and Richard taking this? Last time I had a heart-to-heart with them, they were all onboard with breaking them up."

"Like what they tried to do to Luke and me? No, hon, they didn't, especially since they conceded to the fact that Rory wants what she wants, and Finn is a trust fund baby. Their heart is in the right place, I'll give them that, I just think they don't know how to get what they want without scheming." Lorelai sighed. "I think the actual question is: How are you taking this?"

"I curbed my urge to walk out on the procession. But it's not as if I haven't seen her with men before. It was a long-shot anyway."

"She does love you, just not in the way you love her. Besides, you were an ass to her at Chilton. As least she doesn't want to strangle you whenever you walk into a room anymore."

He laughed. "I'll consider that improvement. I thought she was just being nice to me because I'm friends with Finn, Logan, and Colin."

"If you live with them-"

"Why would I live with them?" he interjected, raising an eyebrow.

"Work with me. If you live with them, it could make for a wacky update of Three's Company. You can be Suzanne Summers!" Lorelai told him enthusiastically.

"Well, I'll keep that in mind next time I have a brain aneurysm," he replied.

Lorelai smiled at him. "There's a cute blond smiling at you."

Tristan feigned exasperation. "If its Logan again, tell him I had fun, but there's no potential for a second date. I'm sorry."

"It's not, but I'll give him the message for you."

"It's greatly appreciated."

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Logan, meanwhile, cut in between Rory and Finn. Finn danced with Lane while her band, who was playing the music for the wedding, was on a break. Colin and Paris awkwardly danced not too far away from them. An engagement ring shone on her hand. Doyle has unexpectedly proposed to her a few months ago, but she was waiting until after Rory's wedding to plan hers.

"You look gorgeous," Logan told Rory.

She blushed. "Thank you."

"And Finn looks downright sexy, of course," he continued.

Rory grinned. "That he does. I half-expected him to pull a Dennis Rodman, but that would mean that my stumbling on the dance floor would be barely noticed."

"You're a good dancer," Logan argued. "I've always told you that."

"Thank you."

There was a lapse in conversation, before Logan said, "So, Finn."

"Finn."

"You married him solely for his good looks, I assume."

"Of course, because it couldn't be because I love him or anything."

"That's crazy talk," he agreed with a grin.

"I should probably tell you that the affair with Finn will be cut down to once a week now that he's married," Rory seriously told him, her eyes betraying her tone.

Logan smirked. "Damn. Who told you?"

"Tristan. He's getting jealous."

At that, Logan laughed out loud. "You're too good with the banter."

"Years of practice."

Logan studied for a minute. "You look happy, Ace. Really, truly happy."

"I feel happy. Really, truly happy," she replied.

"Good." Logan lowered his voice. "If he treats you wrong in any way, just call any one of us. We'll be over in a split second to beat him with a frying pan, or a boomerang, if we're feeling ironic."

Rory smiled. "I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

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Logan stood up and clinked his fork against his glass. "The best man would like to say a few words."

"Uh-oh," Finn muttered loudly. Rory laughed and grabbed his hand. She was now wearing his top hat, and he was wearing her tiara.

"It'll ruin your beautiful hair that took an hour and a half to do," Lorelai had warned when they first made the switch.

"But she looks damn sexy in it," Finn had countered. With that, he had twirled Rory and dipped her before kissing her soundly.

"I'll make it short and sweet," Logan promised.

"Good. I'm dying to get to the garter part."

"In that case, you horny bastard, I'm gonna make you wait."

Tristan poked Logan in the side with his fork. "Get on with it."

Logan smirked and cleared his throat, beginning the speech:

"Since I am the best man, Logan Huntzburger-single- it is my job to make a speech. I met Finn when he was sixteen and just starting Chilton. All the girls fell for him because of his accent, which is what I assume happened with Rory."

"Naturally," she said sarcastically.

He smirked at her again. "As I was saying, I remember the first time Finn realized he like Rory. None of us knew it at the time, of course…."

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A/N2: Yes, it's gonna be more than one part. I have it mostly planned out, but need to write it. I won't write if you don't like it, though.


	2. The Golden Age

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Beck owns "The Golden Age."

A/N: The next installment. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of reviews I got. I seriously thought I'd get about two, three if I was lucky. You guys rock my socks! I love you! No, really, I do. You're the only reason I get up in the morning… plus, the state says that I have to go to school. Haha. But, yeah. Love you to death. And, they're in their junior year at college.

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Junior Year:

Finn intently studied the brunette in front of him, but she wasn't giving anything away. They were playing Slaps, and he had to win this round to stay in the game. She put down a two, he put down a ten, she put down a queen, and he put down a queen. In a flash, they both struck out to slap the cards. Unfortunately for Finn, Rory's hand got there first.

"Aha!" she cried triumphantly, collecting her winnings. "I told you I was good at this game."

"Damnit," he moaned as he stared down sadly at his remaining three cards. "I don't have any face cards left."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You aren't supposed to look at your cards."

"Doll, when have I ever followed the rules?" he asked, flashing a wicked grin in her direction.

She laughed despite herself. "So, are we gonna finish this?"

"Put me out of my misery and just take them." He threw the cards at her and crossed his arms over his chest, slumping back into his seat and pouting.

She collected the cards and began to shuffle them. "Big date tonight?"

"No. She's one of those that have a better personality when I'm hammered and making up most of what she's saying."

"So why are you going out with her?"

It was Finn's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Did you not hear the hammered part?"

"Cancel it," Rory suggested. "Tell her that you're studying or something." She laughed. "Sorry. Or you could come up with a lie more plausible, like you've come down the Black Plague."

He managed to look insulted, even though she was just joking. "I study!"

"When was the last time you studied?" she challenged.

He thought about this for a moment before admitting, "A while ago. But school just started!"

"A month ago," she corrected, dealing the cards out again.

"I'm still settling in," he tried again.

She stopped dealing. "You've been going to Yale for three years now."

He looked awestruck. "You're good. Debate team in high school, eh?"

She looked down and finished dealing the cards. "Yeah." She rearranged her cards and put one down. "Ace of Spades."

Finn took this as a clue to change the subject. "What about you? Big date-esque extravaganza with Logan tonight?" he asked, putting down two cards. "Two twos."

"BS. And I'm not. I have a very important date with my article that I simply cannot miss."

Finn picked up the cards and added them to his deck. "You're gonna have to learn to say 'bullshit.' Why're you here then?"

Rory put down a card. "One three. Because I came to see Logan. But he's obviously not here, and you said that you were bored but didn't want to go outside. Hence, the card playing."

"Four fours."

"Two fives. This is boring with only two people. Where's Colin?"

Finn shrugged. "Class, probably." He took Rory's cards. "Wanna do something?"

"Like what?"

He stood up. "An adventure! We could gather the troops, sail the seven seas!"

She laughed. "I'd love to, Finn, but I have my article to write."

"Excuses," he sighed, slinking back into his seat.

"How about you gather the troops tomorrow, and we can have an adventure then?" she suggested as she gathered her things.

He sat up. "Anytime?"

"Within reason," she agreed.

He stood up and walked to the door. "This is where we say our goodbyes. See you tomorrow, darling."

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Rory yawned and rubbed her eyes, leaning away from the computer. She looked at the clock, which read 12:04. The article was almost done, and had to be turned in to Doyle in the morning. Luckily, her first class was at nine-thirty.

She was going out with Logan the next night. The two had been dating for almost six months. He'd met her mother already, but that was a given. In fact, Colin and Finn had also. They were always clamoring for her attention. It amused Lorelai to no end, much to Luke's displeasure. The three boys were rarely separated from one another as they were, in Logan's words, "chemically bonded together." As a result, she was good friends with Colin and Finn, and was rapidly winning over Stephanie.

Rory shook the thoughts out of her head and focused on her article. She wasn't sure how to end it. She stared at the screen when suddenly there was a light yet urgent tapping at the door. At first, Rory thought she was imagining things, but the knocking got louder as time wore on.

"You're going to wake Paris, and I will not be responsible for your subsequent deaths," Rory hissed in a greeting as she flung the door open.

There stood Logan, Colin, Finn, and Stephanie dressed in all black and trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, which wasn't very. Logan kissed a still-surprised Rory in his own greeting. "I heard we're having an adventure."

Rory turned her glare to Finn. "I told you tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow." He gestured to the clock. Rory looked at the clock to see it read 12:13. Stupid Finn and his technicalities.

"I also said within reason."

"This is reasonable. We're awake, you're awake, Paris isn't," Finn told her with a grin.

"I have class tomorrow."

"Now you're just grasping at straws," Colin said with his own grin her direction.

"Skip it," Stephanie told her with a smirk, sauntering into her room to get some suitable clothes for their outing.

Rory followed the blond haired girl into her room, where she was already raiding her closet. "So, Invisible Girl, what is the plan you and the rest of the Fantastic Four have cooked up?"

"Road trip to Princeton," Stephanie simply replied, getting down an overnight bag and putting the clothes in it. "Anything else you'd like?"

"No, because I'm not going."

"Sure you are. I'm sure you could find a classroom to sit in while we tour the place."

"C'mon, Ace," Logan pleaded from the doorframe. "Please? You can sit in an English literature class if it makes you feel better." He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss.

Rory sighed in resignation. "Fine, but first you have to tell me why we're going to Princeton."

"I have a friend that goes that I haven't seen in while."

Stephanie grinned. "Sorry to interrupt this little moment, but the natives are getting restless." She gestured to Finn and Colin, who were exploring the rest of the dorm. She threw some clothes at Rory and slung the bag over Rory's shoulder. "Put these on, we'll meet you at the rendezvous point."

Rory looked at the black clothes that Stephanie gave her. "Do I even want to know?"

"Finn's living out his spy fantasy," Logan explained. "You can try to get some sleep in the car, but he's driving."

Ten minutes later, Logan and Rory met Colin, Finn, and Stephanie at the entrance to the science department. She'd left Paris a note telling her that she'd gone to Princeton, so not to be worried, and that she'd get the article in on time and to call her cell if there were any questions. The three were hiding behind trees and bushes. Rory opened her mouth to ask a question, but Finn put a finger to his lips.

"We're going to do a loop-de-loop and get in the car, where I'll scan for trackers. At 0100 hours, we'll leave."

Rory looked at Logan, but he just smirked. He grabbed her hand as they followed Finn, had his hands in front of him like a gun, and even rolled on the ground a couple of times. He had them circle the car once, but all piling in. Logan and Rory were in the back, Stephanie got the middle, and Colin-who'd called 'shotgun' in the dorm before they left to get Rory- got the front. Finn slid under the car.

"What's he doing now?" Stephanie asked with a sigh.

"Checking for trackers," Colin replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I thought that was code for finding something good to listen to."

"Oh, how little you know."

"Shut up, Colin."

Finn got into the car and turned it on. "We're all clear, and the car didn't blow up. This is a good sign. Now, to Princeton!"

"You do know how to get there, right?" Rory asked.

"Not a damn clue."

"I brought a map." Stephanie took it out and waved it in front of Finn's face.

"Stephanie the Amazing strikes again," Colin muttered. Stephanie smacked him.

"Are we all ready, or should we stall a bit more?" Logan asked sarcastically.

"I'm waiting for the 'all clear' sign, mate," Finn replied defensively.

"I see it!" Colin cried elatedly, pointing to the sky. Rory squinted to where he was pointing, but saw nothing.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and Logan, this is your captain speaking, but you can call me Merrill," Finn announced in a deep voice. "We are prepared for take off." With that, he backed the car out, and drove out of the parking lot at almost ninety miles an hour. "The estimated time of arrival is three-thirty."

Logan put his arm around Rory, and she laid her head on his shoulder, situating herself so she was more comfortable. Within minutes she was asleep. Logan kissed her forehead. Finn looked back at the two, noticing how nice Rory looked when she slept, and smiled.

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Rory awoke with a start as the car screeched to a halt. Stephanie and Colin were arguing, and Finn got out of the car with a slam of the door. She blinked a few times, and looked around. Logan gave her a kiss.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Finn forgot to fill up the car, so we're at a gas station. Stephanie wants to go to the store, but Colin doesn't want her to go alone, so now they're arguing," Logan explained.

Stephanie got out of the car and slammed the door so hard that it shook the car. Colin sighed and followed her. Rory yawned and stretched.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About an hour and a half. It's still an hour until we get there." He gave her a lingering kiss. "Go back to sleep, we'll wake you when we get there."

She snuggled back into the crook of his arm, smiling contently as she drifted into a deep sleep.

"Rory."

She fell back into consciousness at the sound of her name.

"Rory." It was louder this time.

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Rory, love! Time is of the essence!" That time it was Finn.

She opened up one eye. "What?"

"The great literacy skills of my girlfriend the reporter, ladies and gentlemen," Logan quipped.

"If memory serves right, you're not too coherent first thing in the morning either, idiot," Stephanie snapped back.

"Kids, can we kindly refrain from sniping and baiting each other right now?" Colin asked. "There are more important things to be held right now, like whether or not Logan has his dorm number?"

Logan dug a piece of paper out of his back pocket. "Right here."

"So this mystery man knows we're coming?" Rory asked, cracking her back and neck.

"No," Colin and Finn replied together, then cracked up.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and exchanged a smile with Rory. "We're traveling with Laurel and Hardy."

"You flatter us," Colin told her with a hand to his heart.

"That's because I love Finn. You, I'm still working that out," she teased.

"Well, let me help you with that decision." He hopped out of the car and held out his hand to help her down.

"My, my, my, a true man under that tough exterior. Who would've thought it?"

Finn winked and helped Rory down. "You'd be surprised at what's under his clothes."

"Finn!" Colin exclaimed. "Have you been spying on me in the shower again?"

He held up his hands defensively. "It's not my fault you're in the ladies shower."

Colin punched Finn in the arm while Logan unloaded the trunk, handing each person their respective bags.

"My hero," Finn said in a falsetto voice.

"What did they get at the gas station?" Rory asked Logan.

"Caffeine, caffeine, and more caffeine. And did I mention caffeine?" he whispered back, holding her hand and looking at the piece of paper.

Five minutes later, they were on the second floor of one of the Princeton halls standing in front of a posh looking dorm. Finn slung his arms over Rory and Logan. "Are either of you gonna knock, or are you gonna leave it up to me again?"

Logan gestured to the door. "Knock yourself out."

Rory at Logan with a smile. "Pun intended, I assume."

Finn knocked loudly on door. "C'mon, mate, open the hell up, we know you're there!"

A minute and a half later, an irritated blond opened up with his angry looking roommate right behind him. "If you aren't insanely beautiful, there's going to be more than one punch thrown."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm insanely beautiful, now isn't it?" Finn asked with a grin.

The blond rubbed his face and focused better. "Mary?"

"No, my name's Finn. Or have you forgotten that quickly already?"

"Tristan?" Rory replied with an equal amount of surprise in her voice. She turned to Logan. "You never told me that you know Tristan."

"Right back at you, Ace."

Before either could explain, Finn interrupted by jumping on Tristan and giving him a wet kiss on his cheek. "I missed you, babe."

Colin and Stephanie took that gesture as a sign that they could enter, and pushed past the three bewildered people standing in the doorway. The roommate had already gone back to his room.

"Fancy place you got here, Tris," Stephanie announced, making herself home on the couch. "Ooh, I'm sleeping here tonight."

"Damn. I wanted the couch," Colin replied, lying down next to her.

Tristan snapped back to reality and allowed Logan and Rory to pass. "What are you doing here?"

"We can't come see a good friend without an explanation? Tristan, you wound me," Logan replied.

"At three-thirty at night, I better get a good explanation," he threatened.

Stephanie got up and gave him a friendly peck on the lips. "You worry too much. We'll explain it all tomorrow. Go back to bed. You look just as tired as Rory."

Tristan, seemingly just having remembered Rory, turned to her. "If she's that tired, she can sleep with me." He gave her a slight leer.

"Tristan!" Finn exclaimed, scandalized. "You can't go around propositioning ladies when I'm here. That's my job." He turned to Rory. "Will you sleep next to me tonight?"

"I'm thinking that I'm gonna sleep near Stephanie," she told them.

"Well, I'll sleep with you, Tristan," Finn said with his own playful leer.

Tristan laughed. "You're no Mary, but you'll do." He grabbed Finn's arm. "I guess the rest of you have already made yourselves at home. I guess we'll talk about this tomorrow."

Finn winked at Colin, Stephanie, Rory, and Logan. "I'm getting some tonight."

"You're a jackass," Tristan said.

"I wonder why you put up with me."


	3. What Became of the Likely Lads

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." The Libertines own "What Became of the Likely Lads."

A/N: I love you all. I'm surprised by how much everyone likes this… no, really. You aren't just lying to make me feel good, are you? If you are, don't tell me. I like living in Denial. There's a mansion, and later I'm going wakeboarding. Haha. But seriously, you all rock my world. Love ya mucho. And, if you've heard the song that has the chapter name, I thought it was appropriate, but maybe that's just me. Also(I know, this is going on forever, but I can't help it, sorry), I have a C2 group for Rory/Finn fiction. Yeah, I know, I know. Make fun of me all you want, but if you want to join, the link is on my user info-thingy.

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Rory finally fell into a fitful sleep next to Logan on the floor. For her, it was easy to sleep pretty much anywhere. What surprised her was that Colin and Logan could do the same. Even Finn was on the floor in Tristan's room. Stephanie, having called the couch, got the comfiest place by far.

She woke up later that morning to find Tristan talking quietly on her cell phone. Her eyes widened as she processed that information. Tristan DuGrey, bane of her sophomore year at Chilton, was talking on her cell phone while she slept on his floor. Wriggling herself free of Logan's grip, she got up and stood in front of Tristan with her hands on her hips.

"Why are you on my phone?"

"Just a minute," he said into the phone. He put his hand over the mouth piece and lowered the phone, struggling to keep the smirk off his face. "Good morning, Mary."

"Give me my phone, please, Tristan."

"How about you get changed and we step outside so we don't wake the others? Then I'll give you your phone back."

"You're holding my phone for ransom?" she asked, still adjusting to her newly conscious state.

"I prefer the term 'holding for safe keeping.'" The time he did smirk as she rolled her eyes.

"What did my phone do to deserve this?" she questioned, more to herself than to Tristan.

He pointed to his room. "Your stuff is in there."

She looked around. "And where am I supposed to get changed, O Vexing One?"

"In my room." Upon seeing her glare, he hastily added, "There aren't any cameras or anything, I swear."

"I wasn't worried about that, but now I am."

"Then what?"

"Finn," she told him simply.

"Who's asleep," he argued.

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going to get dressed in front of Finn. I don't care if he's asleep."

"Well, I'd let you get dressed in my roommate's room, but he does have cameras," Tristan pointed out with a grin.

Rory rolled her eyes again. "Two peas in a perverted pod."

"Mar, think about it this way: you can get changed in front of a sleeping man, or you can go out in your pajamas. And while I think they're cute, at-" He looked at his watch "-11:15 in the morning, the rest of Princeton might not be as amused as me."

"Don't you have classes?" she asked.

"I already had two. You all have disturbingly deep sleeps," he informed her.

She glowered at him for a moment, before stomping off into his room. Carefully, she stepped over Finn's prone body and grabbed her bag, setting it on Tristan's bed. His room was somewhat messy as he probably wasn't expecting company.

Rory bit her lip and chanced a glance at Finn, who was asleep on his back. His mouth was parted slightly, and one arm was draped over his abdomen while the other rested above his head. He even seemed devious in his sleep, looking as though there was a small smile creeping up onto his face.

She turned around so her back faced him and took in a deep breath. _In omnia paratus_, she told herself. On that note, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and slowly started to take it off.

"'Morning, gorgeous," Finn said.

She yelped and spun around, dropping the hem of her shirt. Finn was lying there with both arms under his head, barely containing the lazy grin that was forming. She narrowed her eyes at him. "You were awake!"

"Guilty. Heard your whole conversation with DuGrey." He waved his hand. "Now, if you don't mind, I was enjoying the show."

"Finn!"

He put his hands up in surrender. "I'm going." He stood up, and there was a hitch in her breath. She had never noticed how muscular he was before, but standing there clad in only boxers with Sugar Daddy candies on them, she realized how good he looked. His arms were strong and his chest was looking quite kissable.

And his head was cocked to one side as he looked at her in amusement. She blushed and dove for Tristan's bed, covering her head with the blankets. She did not think thoughts like that, especially about her boyfriend's best friend.

"You ok?" she heard Finn ask as he desperately tried to keep the entertainment out of his voice.

"Can you leave so I can change?" she replied.

He chuckled. "Sure thing, love."

Even after she heard the door close, Rory didn't get out of the bed. Too much had happened to her already without coffee in her system, and she was fervently wishing that she hadn't let Logan and Stephanie talk her into coming with them.

It was almost fifteen minutes later when she re-emerged. Logan, Colin, and Stephanie were still asleep, and Finn and Tristan were quietly conversing with each other. Much to Rory's chagrin, Finn was still wearing only his boxers. The two looked up as she entered. Finn was the first to catch her gaze, winking at her once he had it. She quickly averted her eyes to Tristan.

"Do you know any place I can get a good cup of coffee?" she asked him.

"South America," he replied. "Or, there's a place not too far from here."

"Lead on."

"Finn, want anything?" Tristan asked.

"Nah, I already had my morning wake-up call." He looked pointedly at Rory, something that Tristan didn't miss.

"Suit yourself." Once outside, he began, "Last night, I was thinking-"

"Bad sign."

Tristan continued as though as if she hadn't interrupted. "We should be friends."

"Straight to the point," she commented. "You talked to Paris this morning, didn't you?"

"She says that someone named Doyle is expecting your article before 12:30." He smirked. "What do you say?"

"We tried this before, remember?"

"I was sixteen and an asshole, remember?" he mimicked.

"Understatement of the year," she muttered. "Say I do agree. What would this friendship entail?"

"I'll buy you this cup of coffee."

"Tempting. Very tempting. But I have one more condition."

"Anything."

"The innuendo," she told him, following him. The coffee stand wasn't too far away, and she could practically taste it.

He turned around and grinned at her. "So you do like it."

"I want it to stop," she shot back.

"But Finn's allowed." He got in line and took some money out of his wallet.

"Finn also makes me laugh." They got up to the counter. "One large coffee, please."

"Make that two." Tristan paid the man and they stepped to the side. "So, have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Yes. What about you? Last I saw, you were taking your bad boy role to the next level."

He laughed and grabbed the coffees, giving one to Rory. In his, he put two sugars and a bit of half-and-half. "Well, as you can see, I am now studying business management at Princeton."

"Really? I never would have guessed that you'd go into business management."

"My father pushed me into it. A bit of persuading and my future inheritance being brought up more than one, and I was ready to agree."

"So that's where you learned your blackmail skills."

He smirked at her and stopped at the base of the stairs. Rory stood on the first step, confusion etched over her features. He took out her cell phone, but didn't give it to her.

"I have a question."

She sighed. "Naturally."

"Have some patience. It's just a simple question." He paused for the dramatic effect. "What's going on with Finn?"

"He's a perpetual drunk and doesn't like going to class."

"I promise not to tell Logan," he swore, pulling his hand back when she tried to grab her cell back.

"I think he already knows, but it's nice that you care enough to want to spare him."

"Not about you and Finn."

It suddenly dawned on her what he was asking. "Nothing is going on with Finn and me. I mean, we're friends. And that's it. He's Logan's best friend, and I'm Logan's girlfriend."

"Glad we got that all cleared up." He handed her back her cell phone. "I'd be careful around Finn. It may seem like he's just teasing you, but you never know."

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied, distracted. She was checking her call history and her messages. "Why does it say that you called me? How long have you had my phone?"

"I put my number in your phone, and then made sure I had yours. And to answer your other question, I've had it since about 7:30 this morning when Paris decided to call. It was making a loud ringing sound."

"As most phone usually do." She flipped her phone closed. "I can't believe that you're still taking liberties."

"And I can't believe that you're still bitter," he countered, taking his keys out.

"I'm not. I'm just merely stating a fact."

"You keep telling yourself that."

"I will thank you very much."

He shook his head and unlocked the door to find Finn and Logan sitting on the couch in the middle of a heated discussion. Logan got up and swung his arm over Rory, steering her to the couch.

"Can you tell Finn he's wrong?"

"If I knew what you were talking about then yes, I would be happy to," she replied.

Logan sat down and pulled her onto his lap. Tristan took a seat on a chair.

"Well, we're watching Blue's Clues," Logan started out.

Tristan choked on his coffee from laughter. "Why the hell were you watching Blue's Clues?"

"Shut it, mate. You just don't enjoy the subtle art of a talking dog," Finn pointed out.

"Plus, Colin and Stephanie are 'changing' in your room," Logan added with a snicker, putting air quotes around changing. Despite their best efforts, it was common knowledge that they two were doing the friends-with-benefits thing.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "So what you're saying is that the only thing that'll need to be changed is my sheets."

Finn grinned. "More or less."

"How did all of this happen in the ten minutes that we were gone?" Rory questioned.

Logan playfully leered at her. "We move fast."

"I'm getting bored, Huntzberger," Tristan said loudly.

"Ok, so, we're watching Blue's Clues," Tristan continued. "And long story short, did the first guy kill himself?"

"The guy who hated kids?" Tristan asked.

"He was like Milton Berle in those Ratt videos," Rory mused.

"What's the verdict?" Finn was literally on the edge of his seat in anticipation.

"He didn't kill himself," Rory finally decided. "He started a band."

"I knew it," Logan told Finn smugly. "Pay up."

Finn narrowed his eyes and muttered a string of curse words under his breath as he shelled out six 50 dollar bills to Logan's open palm. Logan folded up the bills and stuffed them in Rory's pocket. As he did this, he also adjusted her on his lap and took a sip of her coffee.

"Hey!" she cried, annoyed that he didn't ask. He gave her his best innocent act, but she wasn't buying it. "Get your own."

Tristan, sensing an argument, decided it was time for a subject change and asked, "What's the reason for the impromptu visit to my humble abode at a rival university at 3:30 in the morning? Not trying to sway me to Yale, are you?"

"No, we couldn't stand you that long," Logan replied.

"Thanks, Huntzberger, you do know how to make me feel special," Tristan told him sarcastically. "What's your excuse, Finn?"

Finn shrugged. "They promised me an adventure, mate."

"So you were bored," Tristan concluded.

"School blows," Finn agreed.

"How long are you staying?"

Finn pretended to pout. "That ready to get rid of us, DuGrey? I'm hurt."

"Until later today," Logan answered. "I promised Ace here a date tonight. And I'm anything but someone who goes against their word."

Tristan snorted, but didn't say anything. Finn let his actions speak for him as he fell off the couch from laughter. He got back up and hit Logan in the back.

"Good one, mate. I almost believed you."

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Stephanie and Colin came out sometime later looking flushed, but pleased as punch. As Rory finished up her article and e-mailed it to Doyle, she watched as her boyfriend and his friends played around with Tristan, teasing him and mock fought with him, in some cases. She idly wondered how they knew each other; this whole time, and she hadn't bothered to ask them. Despite knowing all of them quite well, she still felt awkward.

Of course, that all ended at lunch. Stephanie and Finn seemed determined not to make her feel uncomfortable. So much so that they let her choose where to go to lunch. She didn't have a specific preference, so they chose for her, but it was the thought that counted. After lunch, Tristan gave them an in-depth tour that included going over to all his friends' dorms and watching TV.

It was nearly four when they left. Colin was driving this time, and Stephanie was sitting next to him. Logan and Rory got the middle, and Finn was laid down in the back seat with his sunglasses on and a blanket over his head.

Stephanie gave Tristan another light kiss on the lips, a friendly endearment. "Do you promise to visit more?" she asked him when they were about to leave.

"That all depends on whether or not you'll be there," he replied.

"Flirt. But you'll definitely be there for Thanksgiving and Christmas, right?" she questioned.

"Where else would I go? My parents' house?"

"Touché, DuGrey, touché."

"Oh, and Mary?" Tristan had called out right before they left. "I can't believe that I'd actually have to say this again, but take care of yourself."

"You didn't need to say it this time, though. I'm going to see you again," she told him.

He smirked. "This time you're leaving, so I think it's poetic."

"You're also not taking any literature classes," she pointed out.

"Whatever, Mary. I'll see you later." He winked at her, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and sauntered away.


	4. Breakout

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Foo Fighters own "Breakout."

A/N: To everyone who reviews, is thinking about reviewing, or even just hit the story on accident: I love you. You rule my world. My world keeps orbiting because of you. This just rocks. So, sorry for the delay. If you look up the world 'hell' in the dictionary, you'd see a picture of my school. They switched all my classes around. This seriously sucks because I had sentimental value with my old second period. Le sigh. I'm complaining to everyone who'll listen. It's sad. Feel free to totally ignore me, I don't mind, really. Ok, but back to the point: love ya. And, if possible, you should read Bookworms' _Is It Enough?_ and the prequel _Crazy Little Thing Called Love_. It's worth it, I promise. Ok, enough, I know. Onto the story!...

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"'Lo?" Rory's voice was thick from sleep as she answered the phone.

"Hey, kid," Lorelai replied from the other end.

Rory blinked a few times. "Mom?"

"Look at the time."

Rory glanced at the clock and smiled. "4:03 in the morning, huh?"

"You know, at this very time twenty-one years ago, I was lying down- as I am now- with a huge stomach and enormous ankles, and I was swearing at everyone around me like a sailor on leave."

Rory nestled further into her blankets as her mom finished the story. "So you called to tell me all this?"

"It was a very meaningful time in both of our lives," Lorelai reasoned. "How does it feel to be twenty-one?"

"I don't know yet. I'll tell you later." Rory yawned.

"Are you coming home later?"

"Of course."

"I'll see you then."

"See you." Rory hung up the phone and turned over in her bed with a content smile tugging at her lips as she fell back to sleep.

She awoke sometime later due to an alarm going off. With a grimace she turned it off and fell back to sleep. Because it was Saturday morning, she didn't think that she'd turned her alarm on the night before, but one never knew.

Five minutes later, another alarm went off. This one was across her room. She got out of bed, knowing that she did not have two alarms. On top of the alarm that was going off there was a note that read: _Making pancakes. Happy Birthday. –The Boys_.

As she got ready to go over there, she vaguely wondered if Finn was making the pancakes. Last time he'd tried anything that resembled domestic, it had been a disaster. Again, they'd been making pancakes, and he'd used garlic Pam and turned the heat on the stove up too high, thus ensuring not only that every pancake came out burned beyond all reason, but they also tasted somewhat garlic-y.

Logan, Finn, and Colin's dorm was one of the few that got a kitchenette. Logan had told her that it was because his father donated a large sum of money to the school so they could update the computers in the libraries and newsroom. This was done after Logan's first year at Yale because he'd complained about the lack of refrigerator space. At first, Rory had wondered why she hadn't noticed a computer upgrade, but then had remembered that Logan, Finn, Colin, Stephanie, and a couple others hadn't always been graduating with the class of '07. Due to their little excursion in Fiji, they had forgotten everything they learned in the couple of months they'd been at their second years at Yale, so they took them again.

She grabbed her purse, which had her passport in it for safety reasons-one never knew where they were going when the LDB was involved- and headed out the door, curbing her urge to get coffee. She knew that it'd be mean to bring coffee over because Logan or Colin would be more than happy to get her some, especially on her birthday.

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Logan answered the door when she knocked. "Hey, Birthday Girl." He gave her a kiss.

"Happy Birthday, Ror!" Colin called from the kitchen. There was a stack of pancakes next to him, and more cooking. Of the three, he was the only one that could cook more than toast.

Finn made room on the couch for her. He was laying on it with a mug and a bottle of blueberry syrup on the floor next to him. It was his favorite kind of syrup, and he wouldn't eat pancakes, waffles, and-for some strange reason- cheerios without it. When she sat down, he stretched out again, laying his sock-clad feet on her lap. He tore his gaze away from the cartoons on the TV.

"Happy Birthday, doll. Ready for your birthday spankings?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"If anybody is going to give spankings to our girl here, I believe that it'd be me," Logan chimed in.

Rory, ignoring both comments, asked, "Where's Stephanie?" The time it'd been Colin's birthday- when Finn had his terrible run in with cooking after assuring everyone that he could- Stephanie had been there.

"Not here," Finn told her.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Logan said sarcastically.

"Shut it, Captain America," Finn retorted. He held his mug out to Rory. "Want some?"

She regarded the cup warily, as she knew better than to take anything of unknown origin from Finn. "What is it?"

"Irish coffee, heavy on the Irish," he chirped.

"It's ok, I'll just have regular coffee," she told him politely.

Logan snapped his fingers in Colin's direction. "The lady wants coffee!"

"Get off your lazy ass and get it for her yourself, then," Colin growled, flipping a pancake. "I'm making the pancakes."

With a grin on his face, Finn snapped his fingers also. "Slave-boy, I prefer to stay on my lazy arse, so while you're at it, I need more coffee also!"

"I swear to god, if either of you snap your fingers again…" he trailed off, leaving his threat open.

Rory- who learned long ago that despite the boys' bickering, they really did love each other and had no problem expressing said brotherly love at times- started to get up. "I'll get my own."

But Logan pushed her back down. "This is your day. I'll get it." He kissed her on the forehead, then on the lips. "Who knows, maybe there'll be a surprise." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"If it's a severed head, I'm going to be very upset," she informed him.

"Damn. I guess I'll have to get another present for you," he teased before disappearing into the kitchenette behind the fridge.

"So, love, are we still going to your grandparents for this little Box Social that you're throwing?" Finn asked.

She raised an eyebrow. "Box Social? What do you think is going to be served? Moonshine? But yes, we are going."

He visibly winced. "Damn. She bloody fucking hates me."

"Was that necessary?" she mocked.

"When describing the amount of negativity your grandmother gives me, then yes, it is."

"She does not hate you!" Rory protested. "She just-"

"-is vocal in her dislike of me?" he finished. "Though I don't know how anyone could hate me. I'm exotic!"

"Really? I hadn't noticed," she dead-panned.

"So you've been noticing me?" Finn asked with an exaggerated wink.

Rory blushed. "I didn't say that. Stop turning my words around."

Finn held his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not turning anything around; you've been noticing me and your grandmum hates me with a fiery passion."

"That's not true!" she exclaimed. "She's incredibly quiet when it comes to her dislike of you."

Finn laughed and sat up with an abrupt conversation turner. "We're taking you to a club tonight."

"You are?"

"Yup," he confirmed. He put a finger to his lips. "But shhh, it's a secret."

"That you're gonna get me drunk? I can't wait," she said sardonically.

"Not just drunk, legally drunk," he corrected. "But, since you're with us, you won't be drunk. That's too crude." Rory had to laugh at his idea of 'too crude', but Finn went on. "You'll be Elegantly Wasted!"

"Does Michael Hutchence often inspire you?" she asked in an amused tone.

He winked at her, but didn't answer because Logan and Colin came in holding a plate of pancakes each. On the stack Logan was holding, there was a candle. The boys began to sing 'Happy Birthday' as Logan set the pancakes in front of her. She blew out the candle.

"You guys are so odd that you're sweet." She wrapped her arms around Logan's neck and pulled him into a kiss.

"Well, I'm only a lowly servant that is here to satisfy your eating needs and habits." He lowered his voice. "Among other things."

She gave him another kiss before sitting down to enjoy her breakfast.

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"…and then we spent the next hour and a half watching cartoons," Rory concluded. She was walking around the town with her mom. Lane was working, but promised to be off in time to go with them to her grandparents' house.

Her grandparents were throwing her another birthday party, but let her choose who she wanted to bring as long as they could invite their high-society friends for her to meet. This unusual behavior prompted a surprised Lorelai to accuse her parents of being Pod People.

"So you just accepted breakfast from the Suicide Society?" Lorelai asked. "Are you ok?" She put a hand to her daughter's forehead. "You don't feel warm, but maybe it's one of those poisons that's undetectable until you keel over."

Rory pushed her mom's hand away as Lorelai cackled. "You promised to stop calling them that."

"No, I promised to stop calling them that in front of them," she replied.

Rory shook her head, and they continued walking in quiet for a moment longer before she asked, "Why does Grandma hate Finn?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Who knows? Why does she hate Luke? Why is the grass green? Why doesn't the sun orbit the planet?"

"Why don't you ever give simple answers?" Rory replied sarcastically.

Lorelai looped her arm through her daughter's. "Because it's more fun this way."

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"Happy Birthday!" Lane squealed, throwing her arms around her best friend.

"Hi, Lane," Rory replied. "Are you ready to go?"

"Are you kidding? I never get to go to any parties where I'm actually in attendance and not playing. I wonder how it is?" she mused.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Rory assured her.

"I doubt that." She climbed into Rory's car. "Are Lorelai and Luke taking another car?"

"Just in case they have to make a quick getaway."

"Perfect. I made a CD of all of the greatest bands. You'll be blown away by the fact that we can play at least five covers," Lane told her with a grin, popping in the CD.

"I'm impressed."

They made it to Hartford in almost forty-five minutes, arriving just a little after seven. There were already a few cars in driveway, including the Lamborghini co-owned by Finn, Logan, and Colin. The three of them had pitched in and bought it themselves, and usually only brought it out on special occasions. It only sat two, and since she saw Logan's Porsche, she figured Colin and Stephanie had driven in the other one.

Lane barely suppressed a jaw drop when she saw Rory's grandparent's house. It was huge, bigger than any one she'd seen in Stars Hollow. In fact, the only place she'd seen a bigger house up close was when she went to Madeline's party with Rory. She got out of Rory's car and all but ran up to the door.

"Is it just as great on the inside?"

Rory shrugged. "I don't know. It's big, but you get used to it after a while."

"Yeah, if you're part of the royal family," Lane retorted.

Rory knocked on the door as Lane finally spotted the cars. "Whose cars are those?"

"Logan, Finn, and Colin's."

"That's it, I'm living vicariously through you again."

"It's not that great," Rory assured her.

"Try telling that to me again when you live in a rundown apartment with two boys."

The maid opened the door and ushered them in. She took their coats and led them into the sitting room where everyone was. Finn had a martini in one hand and was chatting up a middle-aged woman with his patented 'I'm flirting with you to keep you amused' look. Paris was talking up Richard and a few of his friends while Colin, Logan, and Stephanie chatted quietly.

"There she is, the lady of the hour!" Logan exclaimed, being the first to spot Rory. He strode over to her and swept her up with a chaste kiss, being careful not to offend Emily.

"Rory, you look great," Emily marveled, stepping beside her. "Happy Birthday."

"Hi, Grandma." She indicated for Lane to come over. "You've met Lane, right?"

"Of course." Emily shook her hand. "Nice to see you again."

"You have a fantastic house," Lane told her, taking it all in.

"Thank you." She looped her arm through Rory's. "I have a few friends of mine that I'd like you to meet before your mother gets here. You don't mind, do you, Logan?"

Logan shook his head and gave Emily his most charming smile. "Not at all, Emily."

"Where is that mother of yours anyway, Rory?" Emily asked.

"She and Luke took her car," Rory replied.

Halfway through being introduced around the party, the doorbell rang. Not long after, Lorelai came into view with Luke in tow, who looked about as comfortable being there as Rory knew he felt.

"Rory, as your mother, I believe that it is my duty to pour you your first legal drink," Lorelai told her seriously.

"Hello, Lorelai," Emily said somewhat patronizingly.

"Hello, mother," Lorelai replied in the same patronizing manner. "Where's the bar?"

"This is hardly the time for you to be getting your daughter drunk," Emily chastised.

"I'll do that for you, Lor," Finn offered.

Emily shot him a quick look before focusing her attention back on her daughter. He caught Rory's eye and mouthed, 'Told you so.' She grinned and glanced around. Lane had joined Logan, Colin, and Stephanie's conversation, and Luke slipped his hand into Lorelai's.

Emily shook his other hand with a tight smile. "Luke, how pleasant to see you again."

"Likewise," he replied.

"Luke!" Richard called out. "Don't be a stranger!"

"Want anything from the bar?" Lorelai asked quietly. "Beer? Tequila? Arsenic shooter?"

"Beer is fine," he told her before joining Richard's conversation.

Lorelai exchanged a look with Rory before heading to the bar. Rory, in turn, finished meeting all of her grandparents' friends, exchanging one last glance with Finn.

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The party was relocated to the Gilmore residence of Stars Hollow later that night. After saying her goodbyes and thank you's to her grandparents, Rory was surprised to hear Paris's quick agreement to Lorelai's suggestion that they meet at the small town to eat junk food and open presents. Given Paris's unusually easy compliance, Rory suspected the whole thing was set up, but didn't mind.

She was now eating Chinese food and opening presents on the floor. So far, she'd gotten _The Count of Monte Cristo_ from Paris, who was annoyed that Rory kept borrowing her copy; a gift certificate from Bloomingdales from Stephanie, who wanted to go shopping with her; a large bag of Brazilian coffee from Colin; a CD from a band called the Stone Roses from Lane; and _Don Quioxte_ from Luke.

"Ok, open mine next!" Lorelai commanded, thrusting her present in front of her daughter's face.

Rory shook it and held it up to ear before opening it. It was small, and she opened the box quizzically. Inside there were two tickets. "Tickets to the Elvis Costello concert in Madison Square Garden!" she exclaimed, tackling her mom. "You're the best!"

"Yes, I know, and nothing brings that out like a little Elvis," she sighed teasingly.

Rory gave her one last hug and opened the next present. It was wrapped haphazardly and was tube-shaped. She knew whose it was before she even needed to open it, mostly because Finn had leaned forward with an eager grin on his face. She unwrapped it and took the present out of the cardboard tube. It was a poster of her current obsession band, The Charlatans UK.

"Finn!" she exclaimed. "Where did you get this?" As far as she knew, only the record store in New York that Jess had brought her to was the only store that carried such things, and she didn't want to think that Finn had gone all the way to New York just to get her a poster.

He shrugged and leaned back nonchalantly. "I have my ways."

She rolled it back up and put it in the tube. "Thank you. It's great!"

"My pleasure, doll."

She smiled at him, and grabbed the last present. It was in small box from Logan. She looked at him, but he wasn't giving anything up. She opened it, and to her surprise, he'd gotten her a necklace. It had a leather strap with a yellow stone, very Ren Fair-y- simple yet elegant. She gave him a kiss and held the necklace up with a smile.

"It's pretty," she breathed.

"Glad you approve," he teased, taking the necklace so he could put it on her. She looked down at it, and gave him another kiss.

Lorelai stood up suddenly, breaking the mood. "Who wants more cake?"


	5. Holidays in the Sun

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." The Sex Pistols own "Holidays in the Sun."

A/N: Hey all! Thank you so much for the reviews! They really make my days good! So, love ya lots! That being said, don't expect this 'two updates in one week' stuff to continue. I just had an idea and ran with it. That's partially why the end of my last chapter seemed so rushed: I had the idea for this when I was writing that. So, yeah, this chapter happens sometime after the last. I know my chapters are kinda random, but it happens in snippets. Like, not everyday stuff, but just the important stuff. If my explanation seems kinda weird, sorry. Anywho, onto le story!

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"Don't be mad," was the first thing Rory heard when she picked up the phone. She leaned away from her computer screen and stretched, glancing over at her Charlatans UK poster hanging on her door. When her phone had first rang, she'd been happy for the distraction. With winter finals fast approaching, she'd been alternating between studying and writing her article due on Monday. But now she was seriously wondering if she should have picked it up in the first place. Why couldn't she have just unplugged her phone like normal people did when they studied?

"What'd you do, Finn?" she asked.

He clucked his tongue in disapproval. "Shame, shame. Suspicious, girl. What makes you think I did anything?"

"Because I know you."

"Touchy today, aren't we?" He sighed. In the background, Rory could hear Stephanie talking. "Just promise, ok?"

"Tell me where you are."

"Not until you promise."

"I'm not going to promise until you tell me," Rory told him as patiently as she could. She was cranky, but trying not to take it out on her friends.

"I guess we're at a stalemate then."

"Finn!" she cried, exasperated.

"Rory!" he cried back mockingly.

After a moment of silence, Rory sighed in resignation. "Fine, I promise."

"Excellent. Ok, well, it's a funny story," he offered. "You know how Logan invited you over, but you said that you had to study?"

"Yes," she replied slowly.

"So, after that, we got bored. So Stephanie suggested that we play a game."

"Don't blame this on me, asshole!" Rory heard Stephanie scream in the background.

"You're in jail?" Rory guessed.

"No!" Finn exclaimed. "Of course not! We'd never do something stupid like that."

"I sincerely doubt that."

"Lemme finish: so, we decided to play Catch Me If You Can. Long story short, Steph and I are in the hospital," he summed up.

"Finn!" Rory yelled.

"You promised you wouldn't get mad," he pouted.

"You can't just tell me not to get mad! I've been in a car crash, I've made that call. I've been in the ER, and I think I know how someone will react."

"You've been in a crash?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

"Not the point."

"What's the point?" he challenged.

"Finn, don't. You're in the hospital. Just tell me what happened."

"I slammed into the center divider," he whispered sheepishly, continuing before she could answer. "Nobody's seriously hurt, 'cept for the Honda." It was a well known fact that Finn had an obsession with cars. "Are you mad?"

Rory had to laugh at his little kid voice. "No. But I'm taking your Christmas present back."

"Meanie."

"You're regressing."

"I've just been through a traumatic experience." She could tell through the phone that he was smirking at her.

She shook her head. "I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"That would be important, eh?" He chuckled. "We're at Yale-New Haven Medical Center." There was talking in the background, then, "Steph says that you're her hero."

Rory laughed again. Logan and his crazy friends were going to be the death of her, yet she couldn't help but stick around. She was getting ready to hang up when the phone beeped at her. "Hold on a second, I have another call," she told Finn.

"You can't leave me, I'm dying!" he cried melodramatically.

Rory rolled her eyes and switched over. "Hello?"

"Hello, Ace," Logan purred into the phone. "How are you on this fine evening?"

Rory narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm just dandy," he replied. "Listen, this could be a social call, but I have a favor to ask of you. Could you find it in your heart to swing on by the impound lot and pick up Colin and I? We've tried calling Steph and Finn, but neither are picking up."

Not for the first time, Rory sighed. Well, there was the answer to her question on whether or not Logan or Colin could pick up Finn and Steph. "You're at the impound lot? What happened?"

"It's a great story, Ace, you'll get a kick out of it," Logan assured her.

"I know about the game," she told him.

"So I should add mind-reading to your list of abilities?" he asked.

"Finn already called me. He and Stephanie are in the hospital," she replied.

"The hospital? Shit!" There was muffled talking, then Logan came back on the line. "So, can you pick us up?"

"I'll be there in half an hour," she promised.

Logan sighed in relief. "You are the best, you know that? I'm going to buy you the best coffee you've ever tasted right after I take you out to dinner to where ever you want to go."

She laughed. "I'll see you soon."

"You're the best," he sing-songed.

"You're the best, Ror!" Colin chimed in.

She laughed again and switched back over. "Finn? Are you still there?"

"Why, yes I am, love. What are you wearing?"

"That was Logan. He and Colin are at the impound lot," she told Finn.

Finn guffawed loudly. "The impound? Wankers."

"I'll be there in ten minutes," she assured him.

"I await your arrival on baited breath." He hung up his cell with a smile and sat down gingerly next to Stephanie in the waiting room, careful not to move his torso too much.

"She's going out with Logan," Stephanie said nonchalantly.

"Thanks for the news update," he replied sarcastically.

"You know the old rule: never go out with a best friend's ex. Or a best friend's current," she continued. "What do you think Logan is going to do when he finds out about your new found lust for his girlfriend? Throw a party?"

"Stephanie, darling, love of my life- stay out of this," he told her.

"All I'm saying is to be careful," she warned. "And to stop blaming things on me that aren't my fault."

"It's was your idea to play the bloody game in the first place, and who was it that yelled 'swerve' so suddenly? I believe that it was you," he argued.

"It still wasn't my fault," she countered stubbornly.

"Was so!"

"Mature. Who knew those painkillers reverted you back to a fourth grader?" she quipped.

He laughed and leaned his head back against the wall. "Remember that time in junior year when Colin had that crazy party at his stepmom's place?"

She started to laugh also. "When I flashed the cops so you and Logan could make a run for it and got cited for indecent exposure?"

"Good times."

Rory arrived a few minutes later to pick them up. Stephanie half hugged her as her left arm was done up, and Finn poked her in the side with his cane. Rory surveyed them both.

"What happened?" she asked.

"What happened is that now I'm gonna look crappy in my party dress, and I'm going to have to tell the same story to a hundred people at the Huntzberger's Christmas extravaganza on Friday, thanks in large part to James Bond over here." Stephanie jerked her good thumb at Finn, who was innocently leaning against his cane.

"She means that she fractured her collarbone and I broke two of my ribs," Finn explained to Rory.

Rory's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry. That sounds painful."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "It's annoying. I hate having casts. Plus this gives my wonderful mother more ammunition in her 'why I'm such a bad kid' tirade she's got going on."

"You're mum's a bitch," Finn agreed, twirling his cane in the air.

Stephanie nodded mutely, and Rory looked curiously at the object in Finn's hand. "How'd you get a cane?"

He smirked. "I flirted with the nurse."

She rolled her eyes. "Ladies and gentlemen, behold the power of an accent."

Finn leaned down. "You love me," he breathed into her ear.

She blushed and moved her head away, changing the subject. "I should go rescue Logan."

"So you just came by for a chat?" Finn teased.

"You're going to have to excuse him, he thinks he's ten today," Stephanie informed Rory, throwing a glare Finn's way.

"Steph's just jealous that I got a cane and she didn't," Finn smoothly replied, twirling it between his fingers again.

"Yes, you caught me. How astute of you," she dead-panned.

"Sherlock Holmes, on the job," he quipped.

"So endearing that you want to strangle him, huh?" Stephanie stage whispered to Rory.

"What's with him?" she whispered back.

"Vicadin," Stephanie answered. "Mine wore off about forty-five minutes ago."

"So he'll be snappy when it wears off?"

Stephanie snorted. "I wish. He's a chronic complainer. It'll be worse. Nice insinuated insult, by the way. You learn quickly."

"I didn't mean-"

"It's ok. I'm an easy going person."

"You got one part right," Finn taunted. When Stephanie glowered at him menacingly, he just enlightened, "That's for pointing out all my bad qualities, doll. I love you, too."

"If I'm in a bad mood, I'm bringing you down with me," she retorted. "This is all your fault."

"I'm going to be the better person about this and take the high road, but not before pointing out-once again- that you yelled 'swerve,'" he replied indignantly. "Also, shotgun."

"Damn," she swore. "You always do that!"

By now, they were at the car. Finn winced as he got in the bar, but took very little time in adjusting the seat to his liking. Stephanie, however, was having problems. She couldn't move her left arm very much, and didn't want the seatbelt to hit it at all.

"I hate your car," she growled, unsuccessfully throwing the seatbelt in frustration.

"Thanks, it's gonna go cry now," Rory answered, backing out.

Stephanie sighed loudly, but was finally able to get the seatbelt on with minor troubles. The fifteen minute car ride to the impound was spent in silence, except for Jethro Tull in the background. Finn had fiddled with the radio until he'd found an acceptable classic rock station. That was his favorite type, his favorite band being AC/DC, citing "national pride."

Logan and Colin were sitting on the curb waiting for them when Rory pulled up. Immediately, Finn got out to let Logan up front. Logan looked him over.

"You're alive," he croaked, wiping away imaginary tears. "We thought we'd lost you forever."

Finn grinned. "Can't get rid of me that easily, mate."

Colin pretended to get choked up, putting a hand on Finn's shoulder. "I love you, man."

"Love you, too," Finn replied in the same voice Colin had used.

"Need a hug?" Logan asked.

"No."

"Fair enough." Logan got up front, giving Rory a kiss. "Thank you so much."

She shrugged. "I was out."

Finn and Colin got in back next to Stephanie. Colin grabbed her hand, smiling at her when she looked at him.

"I'm glad you're alright," he whispered. She smiled wearily at him, but didn't say anything, and instead squeezed his hand lightly.

"So the impound lot? How'd you end up there?" Rory questioned.

Logan laughed. "I got pulled over for speeding, in the Porsche no less, and the cop found a few in discrepancies in my ticket paying ability."

Rory shook her head and muttered something. Logan looked at her curiously. "I missed that."

She glanced back at the three sitting behind them. "Nevermind. We can talk about when we get back."

"No, I want to talk about it now," he replied stubbornly. "Obviously it's important, or else you wouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

"I called you irresponsible," she informed him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Irresponsible? And how, pray tell, did you come to this conclusion, Ace?"

"You didn't pay those tickets. They're nothing, and you know it! It's not like you don't have the money."

"It's the principal of the thing," he argued. "Is that your only defense?"

"You slack off in class, you barely do anything at the newspaper, you're never serious about anything," she listed off. "All you care about is partying."

"I don't see why that's such a bad thing. I'm having fun now because I have all the rest of my life to be serious," he countered. "At least I'm living my life, unlike you. Little Miss Perfect can't do anything wrong, or even have fun. That's against her moral code."

Rory pulled the car over to the side of the road. "Get out!"

"Fine! I don't want to be here anyway if all you're gonna do is accuse me of every goddamn thing that you can think of!" he yelled.

"That's great, because now I can take my prudish self back to Yale while you have the time of your life finding your way back!" she yelled back.

"I'm fucking excited. I can't goddamn wait!" he screamed, hopping out and slamming the door behind him, dust flying as he kicked his shoe against the ground in aggravation.

Rory wasted no time in taking off as fast as she could, leaving Logan behind. Finn, Colin, and Stephanie shared uneasy looks with each other. This was certainly a new development in the romance of Rory and Logan.


	6. Diamond Dogs

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Beck owns "Diamond Dogs."

A/N: Reviews? I'm still loving them. I can't believe you still like this story… I mean, I'm glad, just astonished. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while. How long as it been? I'm too lazy to go back to look, but I think it's been something like a week and a half or something. Le sigh. Whatever. I'm updating now… that sounds bitchy, I'm sorry. Ok, well, thank you so much for the reviews! You've made my week… haha. Pathetic, I know, but you guys seriously rock. Yay on you! Hee hee. Weird mood… Oh, one thing though: please watch Arrested Development. It's one of the best shows out there(not better than Gilmore Girls, but close), and it's seriously underrated. It's getting canceled… "halted production", but I love this show, and I really wish more people would watch it because it's so amazing. Well, that's about all I have to say about that. Anywho, it's really up to you whether or not, and maybe it'll be like Family Guy where it keeps coming back.. I'm rambling. Sorry! On to le story….

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"You ok?" Finn asked Rory. Colin was taking Stephanie back to her dorm, leaving Finn and Rory alone. Finn had insisted on not letting her go back by herself. It had been a quiet walk until he'd asked that.

"He's just so reckless! I can't believe he'd be so stupid like that!" she groused.

Finn sighed and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his good side, leaving no room for argument. "It's part of the Huntzberger charm. He has too much pride."

"And you don't?" she teased.

"Me? I'm as humble as one can be," he replied playfully, poking her with his cane.

She started to tickle him. "Humble? Yeah, right."

"Stop!" he cried. "I can feel my ribs rubbing together, it's weird!" He grabbed her hands and held them away from his torso. She stopped struggling and looked up at him as he licked his lips.

"This is my dorm," she stated.

He snapped his eyes away from her gaze. "So it is." He let go of her hands. "Good night, love. Hope you feel better in the morning."

"Thank you, Finn," she told him sincerely. "See you tomorrow."

"'Course." He winked at her, and hobbled off, his cane clinking against the ground.

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Rory ran into Logan at her favorite coffee stand the next morning. She'd slept for quite a long time, and was feeling better about everything that had happened the night before. He was the first to speak and, not looking as confident as he usually did, he ran a hand through his hair and shifted his weight to his other foot.

"About last night-"

Rory held a hand up. "It's ok. We were both stressed about everything that happened, and things got out of control. Is it ok if we both just forget about what happened?"

He sighed with relief. "It's like you can read my mind." He produced a cup of coffee from behind his back. "Here, a peace offering."

She giggled and took the coffee in her other hand. She knew that she probably looked ridiculous drinking out of two coffee cups, but she didn't care. "You sure know the way to a girl's heart."

"Through her stomach," he quipped.

"You learn quickly," she commented.

He shrugged. "I try. I told you I sucked at this boyfriend thing."

"And do you honestly think I have the girlfriend thing down?" she countered with a raised eyebrow.

"You always seem like you do."

"Silly rabbit."

"At least no kids have stolen my Trix yet. Would you like some?" he offered.

"And then, after that, can we go to the party in your pants?" she asked sarcastically.

"Ok, I admit, that wasn't one of my best pickup lines, but-" he licked his thumb and rubbed it on her shirt "-now look! C'mon, Ace, we've got to get you out of those wet clothes."

She rolled her eyes. "You get ten brownie points for originality, but thirty deducted for actually using pickup lines on me. Besides, I need to study. Finals do start tomorrow."

"Can't you put that off for an hour? Colin and Finn are having a Miami Vice marathon. They even dressed up!" he told her, trying to sell it.

"Is the great Logan Huntzberger- ladies man, man's man, man about town- pleading?" Rory asked teasingly.

"To the untrained eye, it may seem like that."

"And to the trained eye?"

"I'm merely asking a question in a higher frequency than I would normally use," he explained.

"Ah, it makes so much sense now," she replied sardonically.

"So what do you say, Wendy? The Lost Boys and I could really use your company."

"Fine, but only for an hour," she conceded.

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"I love Christmas parties!" Stephanie exclaimed, sweeping into Rory and Paris's dorm room.

"Are you drunk?" Rory asked with a smile at the other girl's flamboyant entrance.

"Not yet, but that'll change later," Stephanie promised.

Paris slammed her book close and stood up. "I'm going to the library. Some of us have better things to do than gossip about who's getting divorced from Mr. Howell and who just received their inheritance."

Stephanie just watched as Paris stormed out. "Is she still mad, or does she still have tests?" It was early Friday afternoon, and both Stephanie and Rory had already finished their last tests of the semester.

"Both," Rory admitted. Paris was angry at Stephanie for inviting Tristan to Thanksgiving. She still hadn't forgiven him for getting pulled from school. Paris felt that Stephanie knew this, but invited him to spite her.

It had been explained to Rory how they knew Tristan on the way back to Yale from visiting Princeton. He'd met them through Madeline and Louise. When Finn moved from Australia when he was sixteen, he almost instantly became good friends with Logan, Colin, and Stephanie. He and Logan had dated Madeline and Louise, then switched. During that month, the four had met Tristan and hit it off right away. While Rory probably saw them passing in the halls, she was never formally introduced because Logan refused to work on the newspaper and always went out to lunch.

Stephanie flopped down on the couch next to Rory and turned on the TV. She flipped through the channels, then turned it back off. "How about we lunch, then go get ourselves pretty?" she suggested.

"I was just going to do my own make-up."

"Well then, accompany me. I need something up here-" she gestured to her hair and face "-to distract mommie dearest from what's going on down here." She gestured to her arm with a dramatic sigh. "Christmas parties are so much work."

"And yet you were proclaiming your undying love for them not five minutes ago," Rory replied amusedly.

Stephanie made a face. "Funny girl. Get up. I'll buy."

"Fine, but I'm not putting out," Rory replied automatically. Her eyes widened when she realized exactly what she had just said.

Stephanie just laughed. "You're no fun. And you've been hanging around Finn way too much." She pulled Rory up. "Besides, I need a new dress."

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Rory watched as the other girl spun around in her new dress. This was the third time Stephanie had watched her dress swish around her ankles. They were in Rory's dorm room waiting for the boys to pick them up. Stephanie had finally talked Rory into getting her hair, make-up, and nails done with her. At first, Rory had been reluctant. Then she wanted to pay for herself because Stephanie had bought lunch, and she didn't want to think of Stephanie spend that much on her. However, Steph had different ideas and insisted on paying.

They'd only gotten back in time to change quickly. Stephanie's new dress was crimson with spaghetti straps. The bodice was tight and sequined and backless, and the skirt flowed out, barely hitting the floor. Rory's dress was black spaghetti strap, but more modest than Stephanie's. The top didn't dip down as much, and the bottom was slightly ruffled, starting just below her right knee and going down to her left ankle. It didn't flare out, disappointing Stephanie who wanted someone to spin with.

"Christmas parties are the best," she gushed, smoothing out her dress.

"You're fickle," Rory observed.

"Isn't it the best way to get through life?" Stephanie teased. She looked around, crinkling her forehead in confusion. "Where's Paris?"

Rory stared at her. "You just noticed that she was gone?"

"Well, I noticed that it was quieter," Stephanie admitted, walking over to Paris's room. Tentatively, she put a hand on the doorknob. When she was satisfied that nothing bad would happen, she grinned wickedly back at Rory. "Do you dare me?"

"I'd ask if you were suicidal, but then you'd remind me of the 'death' part of the Life and Death Brigade," Rory answered.

"So where is she?"

"She went to Doyle's for Christmas."

Stephanie wrinkled her nose. "Thanks for the visual, Reporter Girl. Stephen King is currently asking about you for his new book."

"You asked," Rory replied, following Stephanie as she entered Paris's room.

"Wow, I'm surprised she doesn't have a lock or five," Stephanie marveled, her eyes sweeping over the room. "Where are the lasers?"

"She turned those off," Rory assured her.

"Her furniture is perpendicular."

"Are you surprised?" Rory questioned.

"I feel like I'm in a hospital," Stephanie stated

There was a knock at the door. "I'm going to go get that," Rory said, pointing in the direction of the door.

"I'd go with you, but I'm afraid to move."

Rory rolled her eyes and opened the door. Finn, Colin, and Logan were standing there, dressed almost exactly alike, save their ties and cummerbunds. The three were wearing black suits and tails, however Logan had a red tie and cummerbund; Finn's were green, and Colin's were silver. Of course, Finn had his cane, but it had a bow on the top.

"You look beautiful," Logan told her, giving her a kiss.

Finn swept his eyes up and down swiftly. "I'd say spiffing."

Colin grabbed both of her hands and looked at her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Gorgeous, where's Stephanie?"

"Having a nervous breakdown in Paris's room."

"Sounds about right," he joked, going in to fetch her.

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Rory had been to the Huntzberger's winter estate only once before, but then there hadn't been so many cars parked around it. Colin, designated the safest driver, pulled up to the valet. Stephanie and Rory were helped out, and it was then that Rory realized exactly why the house was that big- parties. She took Logan's outstretched arm, and he whispered,

"Tonight, you are going to meet a lot of rich, old people, be hit on by at least three drunk men, and have your picture taken incessantly. Ready?"

"And that's only in the first half hour," Finn chimed in as Rory glared at Logan.

"Now you tell me?" she hissed.

"You wouldn't have agreed to come if I told you otherwise."

"Ye of little faith," she muttered, squeezing past someone to get in the door.

"Pool house, twenty minutes?" Finn asked.

"See you there," Logan replied, smiling brightly at the couple approaching him and Rory. Finn was almost immediately engaged in conversation with someone else, and she could see Stephanie walking towards the bar, while Colin was already no where to be seen. Rory pulled herself closer to Logan as someone brushed past her, and gave the couple her best smile as Logan introduced her.

Around thirty-five minutes later, Rory and Logan made it to the pool house, where the liquor was already flowing. Dinner was being served in half an hour from then, but in the pool house there were a few food trays, making Rory wonder who they had to bribe to get them, and the ages of the people milling around ranged from 15 to 25.

Finn showed up and put drinks in their hands. "It'll get you tipsy in time for dinner, but not sloshed," he promised.

Logan took a gratuitous sip of his drink. "Anything that will get you hammered?"

Finn a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Logan, mate, I love you, but I'm in no shape for you to be taking body shots off of. I'm sorry."

Logan snapped his fingers as he replied, "It's ok. I'll get over it, eventually." He spotted someone. "Oh, Tristan! Maybe he'll be more willing."

"Stay away from my bitch," Finn warned playfully.

"Watch your back," Logan teased back.

"_Dirty_!" Finn exclaimed, a phrase he had quickly picked up from hanging out with Lorelai.

Logan smirked and gave Rory a kiss. He walked over to talk to the other blond.

"Great party," Rory commented conversationally.

Finn grinned. "You're bored. How many pictures have been taken of you for the societies?"

She sighed. "A million."

"They love Logan- photogenic, sexy, son of the hosts," he mused, sipping more of his drink.

"Did you know that the governor is here?"

Finn shrugged. "He's a bit of a bore, if you ask me. If you're lucky, you can sit by me, but I make no promises; my fan club is extensive."

"On that modest note," Rory replied sarcastically.

"Finny!" a voice rang out, followed by some giggles.

Finn heaved a heavy sigh. "I detest that nickname. So much for tipsy. Well, love, duty calls. Save a dance for me."

"I'll save two if you're lucky," she replied.

"If I need saving, I'll scratch the right side of my nose."

"How sure are you that I'll want to brave your fan club?"

"Tease. Remember, the right side of my nose." He walked away, leaving Rory alone, but not for long.

"Mary!" Tristan called to her, gesturing for her to join them.

Logan swung an arm over her shoulders. "It's okay if Tristan joins us for Christmas, right?"

"I don't think that I can just invite people over, especially in the form of Tristan," she replied.

"Come on, Mar, I'm an orphan," Tristan begged.

"It's not up to me," she defended.

"Colin!" Logan yelled.

"Logan!" Colin yelled back mockingly, never looking over at his friend.

"Stop flirting and get your ass over here!"

Colin apologized to the girl he was talking to and walked over to Logan with a calm expression. "If this isn't a fucking spectacular explanation, you're going to be taking a little ride to the emergency room."

Logan, used to Colin's idle threats, paid little to no attention. "What's Lorelai's number?"

"You're not calling my mom," Rory told them.

Logan put his hands up as Colin took out his cell phone. "You said it wasn't up to you."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

Colin pushed a few buttons, then gave the phone to Logan, who passed it to Tristan.

"Be polite, but don't call her 'ma'am' or 'Ms. Gilmore,'" Logan advised seriously.

"And make jokes, but don't make them cheesy or stupid because she won't be afraid to ridicule you incessantly," Colin added.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Maybe suicide society is a better name for you."

Lorelai picked up her phone after four rings. "Hello from the Home of the Insane and the Men Who Love Them," she chirped.

Tristan was momentarily thrown off track, but shook the feeling off. "Hello, Lorelai."

Her eyes narrowed and she stopped what she was doing. "Who is this?"

"Tristan DuGrey."

"Oh, military school Tristan," she understood. "What can I do you for, Hawkeye?"

"I was just talking to Logan-" he started.

"Bad start. You didn't engage in small talk, which I hate, so either you really have been talking to Logan, which is also bad because everything he's said about me is either really good or a complete lie, and if you've been talking to Logan then you've been talking to Don Juan and Don Quixote. Or you've been talking to someone else, which means that someone out there knows about me, which is creepy."

"Don Juan and Don Quixote?" Tristan questioned. Colin and Finn-who was still trying to survive the gaggle of girls- looked up at him. "Nevermind."

"Which is it?"

"Logan."

"You may continue," Lorelai ceded.

"I'm talking to Logan, and we were wondering if I could gather an invite to your little Christmas shindig." He was laying the charm on thickly, and Rory stifled a giggle.

"Ok, smarmy guy, put Rory on the phone and we're have a pow-wow to converse your fate," Lorelai suggested, but her tone left nothing up for discussion.

"Have I mentioned that I will be your eternal slave if I don't need to go to my parents' house?" he told her.

"No, but you should mention that more often. Sympathy and flattery will get your everywhere," Lorelai replied. "Now if you're done kissing up, a skill I'm sure you learned at the prestigious military school your parents sent you to, I would like to have a conference with my daughter, Hawkeye."

Tristan handed the phone to Rory. "She calls me 'Hawkeye.'"

"You're forever marked," Colin snickered.

Rory took the phone and started to walk. "Hi, Mom."

"I like him."

"Then invite him."

"Do you want him there?"

Rory paused. "It's your house."

"Don't be difficult," Lorelai warned. "I can out-difficult you any day."

"I don't care, though," Rory argued.

"And I don't believe you."

"It's up to you."

"But I like you the most, much more than my other, bad daughter, and contrary to popular opinion, I want you to be happy," Lorelai offered. "I want him there, so I can meet the elusive Tristan DuGrey, for medicinal purposes, naturally. But if it's gonna be weird for you, I can take my own road trip to Princeton."

Rory grinned. "Medicinal purposes?" she repeated.

"It's good for the soul to mock others," Lorelai informed her, as though she was telling her about a health condition.

"Of course, I don't know what I was thinking," Rory replied sarcastically.

"Momentary lapse of insanity, I suppose," Lorelai mused. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"He won't be staying at our house, will he?" Rory fretted.

"Don't worry, I'll hole him up in Luke's big freezer. I'll have to kick out Ted Williams, of course, but Tristan will have his room," Lorelai assured her flippantly. "Now, put Hawkeye back on and at least try to have some sort of semblance of fun. They can be boring, I know, but you won't be there all night."

"Thank you, Mom."

"See you in a few hours, babe."

Rory walked back and handed the phone to Tristan. "She wants to talk to you."

"Hawkeye," Lorelai cooed as soon as Tristan took the phone. "You are going to be endlessly and mercilessly mocked, spending your own money to stay at the inn, and will most likely have things thrown at you."

"I went to military school," Tristan assured her.

"That won't help, but I'll be seeing you soon." Lorelai clicked the phone off with a grin.


	7. I've Got You Under My Skin

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Frank Sinatra owns "I've Got You Under My Skin."

A/N: 100! Seriously. No, seriously! I never expected to get 100, especially so soon. I mean, wow! I sometimes think it's the same person with different aliases… it isn't is it? Haha. Damn my paranoia… Hee. Anywho, thank you so much! You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me! Well, I'll make this short and sweet. Hope you like this one!

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Finn snagged the seat next to Rory at dinner. Logan, on her other side, sat next to his dad-despite the protests of the son- who was at the head of the table. Mrs. Huntzberger sat across from them, next to a couple Rory hadn't met yet, but realized that they looked vaguely familiar, plus they kept shooting odd looks at Finn. Colin and Tristan sat next to them, across from Stephanie, who was covertly throwing things at them.

"You never saved me," Finn whispered to Rory.

"You never looked like you needed saving," she whispered back.

Finn gasped. "You weren't staring at me the whole time? I'm appalled!"

"Phineas!" the man across from them hissed, pointing at Mr. Huntzberger who'd stood up to make a speech.

Rory snickered. "Yes, Phineas, be quiet."

"Shut up," he pouted.

"Ok. Phineas."

"I never make fun of your name."

"When you learned that I once golfed, you called me 'Happy' for a month," she pointed out.

"But that was meant to be endearing. You're just being mean."

"Phineas!" the man hissed again, more urgently than the last time. This time, Finn and Rory were quiet, but exchanged glances telling each other that it wasn't over.

"Just half an hour more," Logan promised after dinner. Tristan was less than excited about the prospect of dancing, though Stephanie had stated more than once that he was quite excellent at it.

"This is hell," Tristan muttered.

"So that's why Elvis Costello and Dante are talking in the corner," Rory quipped.

"They're adding ballroom dancing to the 9th level," he replied smoothly.

Finn sauntered up at that moment with a drink in his hand. "Did someone mention ballroom dancing?"

Colin groaned and glared at Tristan. "You just had to bring that up, didn't you?"

"Finn, you are not a dancer," Logan told his friend.

Finn stuck out his bottom lip and lowered his eyelids in Logan's direction. "Dear Mr. Bellamy, do not be jealous because I can dance better than you."

"Why, Mr. Astaire, I can't believe that you would accuse me of being jealous." Logan widened his eyes in disbelief.

Finn smirked at him and wrapped one arm around Logan, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He looked around, his eyes landing on Rory, acting as though he just noticed her. "Ms. Ginger Rogers, I do believe that you get more and more beautiful with time. Care for a spin around the floor?" He held his hand out to her with an expectant look.

Rory took his hand, rolling her eyes at Logan playfully. He spun her out as they got on the floor and then pulled her back. Her hand slipped into his, and his other arm went around her waist. She rested her left hand on his shoulder, and they began to waltz to Frank Sinatra.

"Ol' Blue Eyes," Finn commented as Stephanie dragged Tristan out to dance with her.

"Quite the singer," Rory added. After a moment of silence, she asked, "So, Phineas, who was eager to keep you stifled at dinner?"

"My one and only father," he replied, the distaste evident in his voice. "Like all of the rich and fabulous, I have quite a bone to pick with my father. And, no, I do not care to elaborate, unless of course I'm paying you hundreds of dollars to feign interest in my life."

"But you're not bitter," she said, biting her lip to keep a straight face.

He mock glared at her. "Have you ever considered stand-up comedy as a career option?"

"No, but I like to keep my mind open to new ideas."

He tightened his grip on her waist. "What about you, Lorelai? Any therapy-inducing parents?" She was quite for a minute, and he started talking again before she could answer. "If you have to think about it, then I doubt you do."

"You get hostile when you're not drunk," she remarked.

"I guess we'll have to change that," he purred into her ear. "Are you offering?"

"Just an observation," she defended.

"So you are observing me," he teased.

"I never thought Don Quixote suited you, but I guess I was wrong," Rory informed him as he twirled her.

She spun back in, and he whispered in her ear, "Make all the jokes you want, but I'm the Don Juan, love."

Her mouth opened, then closed again, then she asked, "Phineas, are you flirting with me?"

"I always flirt with you, you're just noticing now?" he asked, smirking at her.

Rory didn't take the bait and answer. Instead, she found herself entranced by things on Finn she hadn't bothered to pay attention to before, such at the way his hair slightly curled at the ends or the small cut on the side of his nose. Unconsciously, her fingers found the end of his and curled it around her index finger. Finn licked his lips and started to descend towards her.

"Mind if I cut in?" a distinctly feminine voice asked. Rory jerked her head towards the sound. Stephanie and Tristan were standing next to them, her with an eyebrow raised in their direction and him with a barely concealed smirk. Without waiting for an answer, Stephanie pressed on. "Great! Tristan, dance with Rory?"

"My pleasure." He held his hand out to Rory. "Mar?"

Rory looked at Finn, but he was busy whispering something to Stephanie. She accepted Tristan's hand. "Sure."

As they waltzed away, Tristan asked, "Remember that question I asked you a few months ago about you and Finn? Care to change your answer?" He smirked as Rory blushed.

"Are you fucking insane?" Stephanie hissed to Finn, punctuating each word. "Logan is not twenty feet away. You're just goddamn lucky he wasn't looking, otherwise this little charade of your would've escalated to soap opera status."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Wonderful pep talk, doll. Have you ever thought of being a motivational speaker?"

"Don't be a smartass, Finn, I'm merely stating a fact," she chided.

"That's it, you're not coming to our wedding," he threatened, his eyes sparkling.

Stephanie sighed. "She's going to be your undoing."

"The Annette to my Warren." Finn fake swooned.

"How's it there in delusional?"

Finn grinned. "Sunny twenty-four/seven. And you of all people know that I joke, I kid, but rarely do I mean."

Stephanie turned serious. "So you really do like her? You're not just doing this to fuck with Logan?"

"When have I ever done anything to fuck with Logan?"

"Rhetorical question, I assume."

"You know what they say when you assume," Finn sing-songed.

"Answer the damn question!"

Finn sighed. "You've caught me: I actually do like her. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"No," Stephanie admitted.

Finn put a hand to his heart. "Does my happiness mean nothing to you?"

She swatted him. "Be serious!"

He looked her dead in the eye. "For the first time ever in my life, love, I am."

"Good luck."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Steph," he replied sarcastically.

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Tristan looked around Lorelai and Rory's house. "It's cozy," he offered lamely.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Colin replied sarcastically, putting his bags down.

Stephanie looped her arm through Rory's. "Boys, be nice. It's a great house."

"Where are we supposed to change?" Finn whined. They were going to the festival in the town square, where Lorelai asked to meet them.

Rory, who was studiously avoiding Finn's gaze, answered, "Out here."

He cast a suspicious glance at Tristan. "Stop undressing me with your eyes!" he accused melodramatically.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and regarded Rory. "We're just staying here for Christmas, I promise. You're still invited to come to St. Barts with us."

Rory shook her head. "I have serious mother-daughter bonding that needs to be done."

The other girl shrugged her shoulders. "Suit yourself."

By this time, the girls were in Rory's room. Stephanie opened up her suitcase and started rifling through her clothes. Rory did the same to her closet, pausing every so often to look at something.

"So," Stephanie drawled. "What do you think of Finn?"

Rory looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

Stephanie flopped back against Rory's bed. "Red sweater. You know what I mean. If Tristan and I hadn't intervened when we did, well, you were there. I assume you know what was going to happen."

"There's nothing going on with Finn and I," Rory insisted.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really. We're just friends. I swear."

Stephanie held her hands up in surrender. "Fine. You're just friends. But maybe you should tell Finn that." Rory opened her mouth to say something, but Stephanie cut her off. "I'm not saying that Finn likes you. But you know Finn: if someone doesn't tell him something, he immediately presumes the opposite. Hon, you're twenty-one, you can't play these games anymore. And I know you're thinking that I'm the last person you should be taking love life advice from, but this is friend advice. Make your choice and stick to it."

Rory nodded, taking it all in. "I have."

Stephanie shot her an award-winning smile. "You're lying, but it's ok. Now grab your coat, we can't leave our adoring audience waiting forever."

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"Mystery Science Theatre or On the Waterfront, an oldie but a goody?" Lorelai wiggled both of the DVDs to the others in front of her.

"Mystery Science Theatre!" Logan yelled automatically.

Colin snickered. "Logan has a Joel obsession."

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Kids, now is not the time for bickering," Lorelai soothed. "Joel would not want this. He would want us to come together and mock as one."

They were back from the festival early as Taylor had banned them for the rest of the evening after Finn and Colin had inadvertently found themselves under the mistletoe together. Needless to say, Taylor was less than amused by their display of affection for one another. Luke was doing inventory at his diner, but promised to be over later. This left Lorelai alone with her daughter and her daughter's friends, not that she minded.

Finn rubbed the couch space between him and Colin suggestively. "Lorelai, you can sit here."

"Are you sure Colin wouldn't be more comfortable there?" she joked.

Colin looked up from his conversation with Stephanie, who was leaning against his legs. "I'm good, but thank you for thinking of me, Lor."

"I think I'll just sit next to Hawkeye," she suggested, taking a seat next to Tristan on the floor.

Tristan smirked up at Finn. "Burn."

"Shut it, Hawkeye," Finn pouted.

They were almost halfway through the movie when the phone rang. "Not getting it!" Finn and Logan yelled in unison, then looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Lorelai nudged Tristan. "You're closest, Hawkeye."

"Me?"

"No, Alan Alada," she replied sarcastically. "Yes, you. Get it. We can't have it going to message, it could be someone important like Larry Gelbart looking to do a reunion show."

"Are you ever going to get tired of those jokes?"

She grinned impishly at him. "No."

He sighed in resignation and got up to answer the phone. "Gilmore Residence." There was a pause. "Okay, I'll tell her." Pause. "I'm sure she'll enjoy that." Longer pause. "Tristan DuGrey." After one last pause, he hung up the phone. The rest of the room was staring at him. The TV was even paused.

"Well, who was it?" Rory finally asked.

"Luke."

"Luke?" Lorelai questioned curiously.

"He's coming over," Tristan confirmed. After a beat, he added, "With pie."

"Pie!" Lorelai squealed. "Let's celebrate. Who wants Mallomars?"

"When did you get Mallomars?" Rory asked her mom.

"This morning," Lorelai admitted.

Rory nodded in understanding. "That's why they're not gone yet."

"I think this is the most you've said all night," Logan teased. "Something on your mind?"

Finn started coughing loudly. When everyone looked at him, he explained, "I swallowed wrong. Colin's spit has infested." Stephanie started to laugh. "Care to share with the rest of the class what's so funny, doll?"

Stephanie pursed her lips to stop the giggle. "No, I'm serious. Very, very serious," she replied in a pointed tone, the underlying message being 'I know why you're coughing.' He just stuck his tongue out at her.

Logan kissed Rory's forehead. "Sure you're feeling okay?"

She smiled at him. "Yeah, just tired."

"How does this sound as a plan? We sleep until two tomorrow, wake up, eat at Luke's, and then see what other places we can get kicked out of," Logan suggested.

Finn raised his hand as though he were holding a glass. "Here here!"

Lorelai snickered. "I'll buy dinner if one of those places is Doose's."

Finn poked Colin. "Up for the challenge?"

"Dirty!" Lorelai exclaimed.

Tristan snorted with laughter. "I don't even think I was thinking that."

Lorelai shrugged. "It's a gift, Hawkeye."

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Rory lay awake in bed later that night listening to Stephanie breathe in a steady rhythm. She couldn't sleep, so she had no choice but to lay there with her thoughts. She didn't like Finn as more than a friend, that much she was sure of. Or was she? He drove her crazy and was a complete manwhore, but there was something about him that she couldn't put her finger on. She sighed. This was stupid. She liked Logan a lot, some could even say 'love', and she had more in common with him, except for his crippling lack of responsibility.

She tried to shake the thoughts out of her head. Here she was thinking about another man- her boyfriend's best friend, to be exact- whilst said boyfriend was in the other room. Hadn't she learned her lesson from the whole Dean and Jess fiasco? And look how that turned out. No, she was happy with Logan, despite more of his unusual faults. Besides, she only thought of Finn as a friend.

As Rory lay there, she began to get thirsty, and water was the one thing she knew they had in the house. She got up and put on her robe and slippers as quietly as she could as not to wake Stephanie. She padded out of the room, and softly shut the door.

Finn was sitting at the kitchen table reading Cosmo. Rory gasped and put a hand to her heart. "Jeez!"

He put the magazine down. "You have no food in your house, you realize."

"I still realize that from the last time you told me, but thank you." She got a glass and filled it with water, sitting down next to him.

"Couldn't sleep either?"

Rory shook her head and took a sip from her glass. There were a few moments of awkward silence that seemed to drag on for an eternity, until she blurted out, "What are we?"

If Finn was surprised by the randomness of the question, he didn't show it. "I like to think that we're friends, but if we're not, let me down gently, will you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I hoped so. That we were friends, that is. Are. We are friends. It's a funny story, Stephanie kept asking what we were. Are. But we're all on the same page with the friends thing. I like being friend with you. What are you smiling at?"

Sure enough, he was looking at her with a half-smile on his face, amused by her babbling. "Nothing. Can I have a statement?"

"You've never asked before," she teased, waving her hand in the air. "State away."

He paused, as if contemplating something. His finger was even lightly tapping on his chin thoughtfully. Then he surprised her by reaching out and cupping her cheek. And before Rory knew what was happening, Finn was kissing her.


	8. The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." The title of this chapter, "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret," is owned by Queens of the Stone Age.

A/N: Sorry about the lack of updating in a while. Okay, more like a week and two or three days, but I digress. I know it was mean to leave it a cliffhanger like that, and even meaner to make you wait this long for an update, but I've been busy… writing other PDLDs. What can I say? I got inspired. But, alas, I have finally written this one. Hope you enjoy!

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Finn was kissing her. Finn, Australian drunk and manwhore extraordinaire, was kissing her, rather enthusiastically. And he was good at it, skilled in all the right places. She lost touch with all reality as he deepened the kiss. In fact, it wasn't until he wrapped his arms around her waist, urging her forward onto his lap that she realized that she was responding. Her common sense kicked in, and she shoved Finn away and jumped off his lap.

"What was that?" she exclaimed, panic-stricken.

Finn leaned back in his chair and licked his lips. "I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about. Contrary to that little nickname of yours, I'm not suicidal, love."

She gaped at him, her body still humming. "You kissed me."

He nodded. "Guilty."

"But why?"

He smiled at her. It wasn't a smirk or one of those cocky half-smiles he was so fond of. It was an honest-to-God smile, and she decided that she liked it. "I wanted to. I'd go into more detail, but I'm suddenly feeling a bit more tired."

She grabbed his arm as he walked past her. "You can't just leave without an explanation."

"I'm not technically leaving, doll, I'm going to bed. We can talk about it in the morning, sound like a deal?" he voice softened, down to a whisper, with every word. He grasped the hand that was holding his arm and brought the knuckles to his mouth for a soft kiss. "Good night, Rory, please don't let this bother you."

"'Night," she murmured, getting lost in her thoughts once more.

She heard him settle into his blankets. What did he mean, don't let this bother her? How could it not? It wasn't a bad bother, but it wasn't a good one either. They kissed, 'they' as in her and Finn, not 'they' as in her and Logan, who was still her boyfriend. Finn was still Logan's best friend, and she didn't want to mess that up for them, no matter how good the kiss was.

She groaned and leaned against the counter. Things definitely just got more complicated. How was she going to face Finn tomorrow? Or even Logan for that matter? She needed someone to talk to. Stephanie was out of the question, as though she did take it upon herself to meddle, she was a bit more than an impartial judge when it came to the two boys. The same went for Tristan and Colin, though she doubted that Colin even knew what was going on. Lane was too far away for her to walk to in the middle of the night, and she wanted someone to talk to now. That left Lorelai, but then again she was always first choice in Rory's mind.

Rory strained to listen into the living room. The only sound she could hear was Colin's soft snoring and Tristan's occasional cough. He'd convinced Lorelai to let him stay with them, but that meant the four boys were crowded in the living room, not that they minded. Finn and Logan didn't make any noises when they slept, that she knew, so she wasn't sure when Finn was asleep, and she didn't particularly want to chance walking past him while he was still awake.

She waited for a few more minutes, finishing her water as she did so, then decided to risk it and go upstairs. Walking quieter than she ever had in her entire life, she tip-toed by the living room. Colin was spread out on the couch with an arm hanging over the side onto Tristan's chest. Logan was curled up with a pillow on the other side of the couch, and Finn was lying upside down on the chair, his head resting on the ottoman. The four actually gave off some semblance of innocence, causing Rory to giggle slightly and then slap her hand over to mouth to stifle the noise. What a contradiction.

She finally got upstairs and opened up her mom's door, and jumped onto the bed. Lorelai made a sound, but nothing more. Rory shook her. "Mom, wake up."

Lorelai roused a bit more. She turned to her daughter, though her eyes were still closed. "'S still night."

"Mom." Rory still persisted, desperate to talk.

"Go to sleep, Ror."

"I can't."

"Then pretend."

Rory sighed. This wasn't how she wanted to tell her mom, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Finn kissed me."

Lorelai sat up, and in one swift move the light was on and she was eying her daughter. "And you're telling me now?"

Rory stared at her mom. "It only happened five minutes ago."

"Not soon enough," Lorelai declared. "So, tell me everything. Where? How?"

"In the kitchen with the wrench," Rory replied sarcastically.

"You're the one telling me, no need to be sarcastic."

"Says the one who taught me how," Rory retorted.

"So you're gonna lay that on me without details? How very Barbra Graham of you," Lorelai observed teasingly.

"You're comparing me to a murderess?"

"Give me details and I'll be happy to compare you to Doris Day again."

"Like I said, it happened in the kitchen. I couldn't sleep and he was just there and we started talking, and then he kissed me," Rory explained.

"Is he a good kisser?" Rory blushed and looked down, causing Lorelai to cry gleefully, "He is! Have you ever seen him during those infamous naked spells he tends to go through?"

"No, have you?" Rory asked worriedly.

Lorelai laughed airily. "No. Not that I would mind."

"Mom!"

Lorelai laughed again. "I'm kidding. My heart lies with one man these days."

"Luke?"

"Will Arnett," Lorelai corrected.

"My next choice."

Lorelai crossed her legs and leaned in closer to her daughter. "So Finn kissed you? Did you kiss him back?"

Rory looked at the wall, biting her bottom lip, and mumbled, "Yeah."

"Are you going to tell Logan?"

Rory's eyes widened in alarm. "Do you think I should?"

"No. I was just checking to see if you were going to do anything that you'd regret," Lorelai explained. "I was ready to talk you out of it and everything."

"Mom, I kissed Finn."

"I'm aware, but keep going."

"Finn. Who is Logan's best friend. Who's my boyfriend. I'm a horrible girlfriend!"

"Shh, no you're not. You're just confused. It's natural. You like Logan, right?" Rory nodded. "And you have no romantic feelings for Finn, right?"

Rory paused. She didn't; she couldn't. "Nope."

"Then you can just forget it happened and get presents," Lorelai decided.

"But how can I forget it happened? Finn will be here, with us, until Monday."

"You put up with Tristan when you kissed him, did you not?" Without waiting for an answer, Lorelai pressed on. "You can do this. Sleep will help."

Rory smiled. "Can I stay up here?"

Lorelai threw back the covers so Rory could join her, and slid back down so she was lying again. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and turned off the light. "Get some sleep. You'll have to keep your strength up for Luke's Christmas Eve surprise dinner."

"If it's a surprise, how do you know about it?" Rory teased, hugging the pillow tightly.

"I have my ways," Lorelai replied coyly.

"How mysterious," Rory observed dryly.

"Just call me Batman."

"I'd rather not."

"Your loss."

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Rory awoke with a start the next morning, momentarily forgetting where she was. She looked around; why was she upstairs? Then the events of the previous night hit her. She didn't want to go downstairs, but that was where the coffee lived. She didn't know what time it was, but since her mom wasn't there it was safe to assume that it was any time after 10:30.

Cautiously, she made her way downstairs. The first thing she saw was Finn, Logan, and Colin sitting on the couch looking far too innocent for their own goods. Then she noticed Tristan still asleep on the floor with sharpie markings all over his body.

"Rory!" Logan exclaimed, leaping up to greet her with a kiss. "Good morning! When did you go upstairs?"

"Last night. When did you wake up?" she replied.

"When Finn fell off the chair," he admitted.

"Blame it all on me," Finn grumbled.

"Did you notice our handiwork?" Colin asked with a conniving grin. "We used Christmas colors. He's very festive."

"And then when he kills you?" Rory questioned.

Finn smirked. "He'll be doing it festively."

Rory rolled her eyes and yawned. "You're insane."

"Thank you," Colin answered.

"Did my mom make coffee?"

"Yeah, but I'd make more," Logan advised. "She went to Luke's to get breakfast."

"I'll be there then."

Finn jumped off the couch, careful not to kick Tristan. "I'll help you!" he offered gallantly.

Rory panicked. "I'll be fine, really. It's not as if I've never made coffee before."

Finn waved it off. "Nonsense. Everyone can use company. It'll give us time to catch up, love."

Rory relented. Finn wouldn't give up, and he did want to talk, so the sooner she got it over with, the better. "I'll be back soon," she promised Logan.

Logan smiled at her, but when she turned her back, he grabbed Finn. "What are you doing?"

Finn put a hand to Logan's forehead. "You feelin' okay, mate?"

Logan batted the hand away. "Stop avoiding the question."

"I'm not avoiding anything, the bloody question is avoiding me," Finn informed his friend.

"That's possibly the most insane thing I've ever heard you say."

"I doubt it. Besides, it's Finn. You expected anything more?" Colin questioned.

"Shut it, Colin," Finn replied good-naturedly. "For your information, Huntzberger, I need more coffee so I can move from insane to illogical."

Logan smiled. He wasn't sure why he'd doubted his friend. Finn was many things, very few of them defined in the normal sense of the word "good"-though he had a different sense of the word good, so that meant many qualities one would describe as "bad," Finn took pride in-but none of them mentioned were disloyalty to friends.

"Gonna bring us back some?"

Finn snorted. "What do I look like, your bloody slave?"

"No comment."

Finn shoved his friend, who just laughed. "I'll be back in a few."

"Make it sooner, I miss you already, you big stud!" Colin cried in a falsetto voice.

Finn batted his eyelashes. "No one can resist my body."

Colin rolled his eyes as Finn walked away. "Wanna watch a movie?" he asked Logan.

"That's three scoops too many for the amount of water you're using, love," Finn observed when he got into the kitchen.

"You'll get used to it," Rory replied, closing the lid and turning the machine on.

"Or I'll go crazy?"

"I think you left 'Crazy' about three stops ago."

"Wow, you are mad," Finn commented, as if he were telling her about the weather.

"I'm not mad."

"Darling, I have a sister; don't tell me you're not mad 'cause I can tell when you are," he pointed out.

She paused. "You have a sister?"

"I think you just missed the point entirely."

"Then tell me it again."

"You're mad."

"No, I'm not," she replied. "I'm confused."

"Fuck," he muttered. Louder, he asked, "Confused, doll? About what?"

"You!" she exclaimed. "You did what you did last night, and then act like nothing happened. You still haven't told me why!"

He shrugged. "Felt like it."

"Felt like it?" she repeated doubtfully.

"Yes, felt like it," he confirmed. "I was being spontaneous. Felt like it. Nothing more, nothing less. You should stop bloody overanalyzing everything."

She folded her hands over her chest and turned away. "Fine, I probably should."

Finn sighed. "I'm sorry, love." That was the word, 'sorry.' He probably hadn't used that word since he was ten. "I didn't mean any of that."

"I'm sorry, too."

There was silence, then Finn said, "This is good and all, but too sappy. I need to feel dirty again." He looked at Rory. "Nice sex hair, love. But I think I could do better." He gave her an exaggerated leer and winked.

She laughed, blushing slightly, but tried to flatten her hair out. "Like yours is any better."

"But I look cute with sex hair."

Before Rory could come up with a witty retort, feeling back to their old selves sooner than she expected, Stephanie came out of the room. The blond girl was still half asleep, and rubbing her eyes. "'Mornin'," she mumbled, heading straight for the bathroom.

Rory just stared at Finn, who looked back inoffensively, almost childlike in his manner. "Logan's idea."

There was a loud gasp from the bathroom, and Stephanie came storming out, heading straight for Colin and Logan, who scattered. Tristan began to stir at that time from all the commotion. "You fuckers!" she screamed.

Colin, who was laughing, had a hard time forming sentences as he answered, "Logan's idea. We just got bored."

She turned on Logan, who was glaring at Colin for betraying him. "This is your idea of a joke?"

"Yes," he replied matter-of-factly, running into the kitchen, hiding behind Rory. "You can't hurt me without hurting Rory, and you can't hurt Rory because she's sweet and innocent and pretty." He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

Stephanie just folded her arms across her chest and tapped her long fingernails against her forearm. They were red and green for Christmas, and now matched the word 'Easy' that the Three Amigos had written in bold letters across her forehead. Finn was now behind Logan, an empty coffee cup in one hand, his other hand around Logan's torso, and his chin propped on his friend's shoulder, making a chain of sorts.

And that was how Lorelai them when she arrived back at the house a few seconds later- Colin and Logan calmly watching _Gladiator_ in the living room, Stephanie glaring at Finn and Logan in the kitchen, and Rory exchanging an eyeroll with Stephanie over the boys' childish antics.

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The word 'Dick' could still faintly be seen on Tristan's forehead, among the other markings doodled over his body. The sharpies had been confiscated, and after a few empty promises the rest of Christmas Eve fell into place. Luke had closed the diner early to start on an unbelievable dinner, causing Colin to question his placement in a diner instead of a five star restaurant. All Luke did was growl at him a response and to drop it.

As things were winding down, Logan joined Rory in her room. They were lying on the bed, fully clothed, but talking. "Come, please," he asked again. "It'll be fun. Have you ever been to St. Barts? You don't even need to go topless, I swear, though it wouldn't be a bad idea."

She shook her head. "I'm spending the time with my mom, you know that. Besides, I'm not a beach person. I only own one bathing suit."

"I'll buy you a new one. And then something else pretty," he promised seriously, giving her a light kiss.

She pulled away. "You don't always need to buy me things."

He sighed. "I know, I just want to. Pretty girls deserve pretty things."

"You've been talking with my mom, haven't you?" she teased.

"No, it's just something that I learned at an early age."

"Charm school, my old arch enemy," she said in a comically serious voice.

"You enjoy doing this thing Dutch?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Because I have no problems if you want to buy me pretty things."

"Now you're reading between the lines."

"I prefer to call it a learned interpretation." He paused. "So you're sure you don't want to go with us? It'll be beautiful, all kinds of sand and water and seventy-five degree weather."

"I happen to enjoy my weather below freezing."

"Suit yourself." He shrugged, and gave her another kiss, this one more lingering. She settled herself against his chest and looked out her window at the snow covering everything, making the town seem much more magical than usual, and wondered about the last time she'd seen a White Christmas.


	9. The Name of This Thing Is Not Love

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Elvis Costello owns "The Name of This Thing Is Not Love."

A/N: I'm so sorry about the lack of updating again. Not that you guys weren't perfect, because you were. I love every single review I get, thank you all so, so much! Well, unless I can get a new chapter up before Sunday, then there won't be another update for a while. I'm going away for spring break, so yeah. I'm sorry, but I'll try to write. Haha, that's how dedicated I am to you: I write on my vacation. Hee. Anywho, I really like this chapter, so I hope you do too!

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"Macaroni and Cheese," Lorelai decided after much deliberation.

Rory shook her head. "That is not your favorite crayon color."

"Why not? It's the perfect color- you draw with it while eating it."

"Exactly my point. Colors should not be edible. They should be like Brick Red and Sky Blue."

"What about orange? That's edible."

"But the color came before the fruit."

"Has anyone told you yet that this is the most pointless conversation?" Luke asked, stopping by the table the girls were at to refill their coffee cups.

"That's the beauty of it," Lorelai replied with a coy grin. "Rory's going back to school tomorrow, so we have to get all of our pointless conversations out into the open while we still don't have to pay."

"Let them talk, Luke, this whole thing is wildly fascinating," Kirk interjected from the table next to them.

Luke muttered something, but couldn't help but smile a little when Lorelai caught his eye and shot him that famous grin of hers.

"What movie do you want to rent tonight?" Lorelai asked Rory.

Rory thought about it a minute. "How about anything and everything directed by Francis Ford Coppola?"

The little bell over the door jingled as Lorelai answered, "Risky, but I think it's just crazy enough to work."

"I'll go get the movies," Rory suggested, standing up and gathering her things.

"I'll meet you there, I'm just going to go say bye to Luke," Lorelai replied, standing up also and splitting away from her daughter, walking to the counter. Gypsy and Andrew were already there and having a conversation with Luke.

"Why don't you just get it from Taylor?" Luke was asking.

"We're mad at Taylor," Gypsy answered simply.

He raised an eyebrow at the couple. "And you getting ice cream from me has nothing to do with revenge and the fact that he's looking right now?"

Lorelai looked to her right to see that, sure enough, Taylor was sitting on one of his stools and glaring at Gypsy and Andrew through the window that separated the diner and the shop.

Andrew shifted his weight. "We never said that."

Luke studied both of them for a few seconds, then asked, "What kind do you want?"

They ordered, got their ice cream, and left. Lorelai leaned forward, her elbows pressing down against the counter. "You should have told them to eat it in front of Taylor."

"I'd fear for their safety." He leaned forward toward her. "You going?"

"Francis Ford Coppola is calling our name," she informed him.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

Meanwhile, Rory was almost to the video store when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller id and grinned in spite of herself as she pressed the 'talk' button. "How has the island been since we last talked?"

"Good," Logan replied. "Still here, in fact."

"Shocking."

"Very."

She could hear laughter and splashing in the background. "Are you at the resort?"

"Packing as we speak."

She raised an eyebrow though she knew he couldn't see her. "At the pool bar?"

"By 'packing,' I meant 'drinking,'" he amended.

"Of course. Where is everybody?"

Logan ignored the first part of the sentence. "Tristan and Stephanie are playing chicken with some nice people we met from France, and Finn and Colin are flirting with some girls at the other end of the bar."

Rory suppressed the unusual pang of jealousy she got when Logan mentioned that; it was Finn's right to flirt, and one fluke didn't change that. "They left you by yourself? To flirt?"

"You know Finn, always up for a good time, and I do mean that as a double entendre," he joked.

"Yeah." She forced a giggle and decided to change the subject. "How is it all by yourself?"

"It's terribly lonely," he sighed melodramatically. "I miss you."

She laughed. "You said that last night, and the night before."

"And I still mean it." Before Rory could reply, there were sounds of yelling in the background, followed by extremely coarse language, then Logan's voice came back on the line. "I've got to go- Colin just started a fight and we should probably make ourselves scarce."

"He started a fight?" Rory echoed incredulously.

"He's not smart. I'll see you on Monday," he promised.

"See you then." She hung up smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" Lorelai asked her daughter, joining her outside of the video rental store.

"Logan just called," Rory replied, stepping into the store. "I'll get _The Outsiders_ and _Don Juan DeMarco_, and we can go from there."

"I'll get the _Godfather III_, because we always have time to watch Sofia die."

"Can you interpret Kirk's new system?" Rory called to her mother from across the store.

Lorelai held up two movies. "_Weekend at Bernie's_ and _Bringing Up Baby_. Right next to each other. I don't even think he's using the English alphabet."

"Somehow that's not surprising."

"New plan," Lorelai suggested. "To save what's left of our sanities, grab the first good movie you see, and meet me at the counter."

Rory grabbed a movie and met up with Lorelai. They put their movies on the counter.

"What did Logan say?" Lorelai questioned casually.

"That he'd see me on Monday," Rory replied.

"Not tomorrow?" Lorelai paid and picked up the two movies.

"It told you this already, he's getting in late and doesn't want to bother me."

"Oh," was all Lorelai could say.

"Oh?" Rory repeated.

"What I mean is that you and Logan have been going out for how long now?"

"Almost ten months," Rory answered, a bit confused as to where her mother was headed with this.

"Which is what, nine months longer than any of his previous relationships? What I'm trying to get at is that he's a bit of a commit-a-phobe, and this is just proof of it," Lorelai explained.

"I'm not getting this."

"He's been away almost two weeks, but he doesn't want to see you right away? Ten months of dating, and yet there really hasn't been any serious talks?"

Rory stared at her mother. "You're paranoid."

"Perhaps. Maybe I'm reading too much into this." She wrapped her arm around Rory's shoulders. "But I digress. New topic?"

"Please."

"So," Lorelai began. "Cats."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Cats? The musical? The movie?"

"No, the animal," Lorelai corrected. "I never liked them."

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Rory arrived back at her dorm late Sunday afternoon, despite her mother's protests that she never leave Stars Hollow, become a hermit, and throw things at Babbette's gnomes. Paris was watching C-Span and writing a paper on the couch. "Condoleezza Rice is on Q&A tonight," was Paris' greeting to her roommate.

"Hello, Paris, how have you been?" Rory sarcastically replied.

"Don't get snappy with me because I don't want to engage in mindless chatter," Paris shot back.

Rory sighed and sat down next to her on the couch. "I guess I'm just hungry."

Paris stood up. "We have no junk food. Or any at all. Want to go shopping?"

"Sure, why not?" Rory shrugged.

Almost forty-five minutes later, Paris and Rory came back from their shopping excursion with two bags of chips, coffee drinks, and various candy products. Rory was already drinking a Frappuccino from a bottle, and Paris had a pack of sour Skittles open.

"Do you know what the best part about this is?" Rory asked, finishing off her drink and throwing it into the garbage.

"That we don't need to exercise for at least another two years?"

"No, that we won't even eat it all."

"Speaking of which, where is lover-boy?"

"Coming back from St. Barts," Rory admitted. "They went there, and he said he's coming back later tonight."

"It must be much later." Paris indicated to the darkened window of the boys' dorm that they happened to be passing.

"They probably had a late flight," Rory rationalized.

"He didn't tell you?" Paris asked, the surprise evident in her voice.

"I didn't ask."

"Idiot."

"Why is everyone trying to tell me that my relationship with Logan is so bad?" Rory cried, more to herself than to her roommate. "I'll see him tomorrow, and it'll be fine."

"Okay," Paris answered simply.

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However, Rory didn't see Logan the next day at the newsroom. Nor did she see Stephanie-who she had a class with- Finn, or Colin. Of course, they frequently never went to class, so she didn't worry about it to much. They were probably just sleeping, or what was more likely, drinking.

When she went by the boys' empty room, she began to worry. Stephanie's roommate said that she hadn't seen her since before Christmas either. The panic really set in when Rory tried calling Logan's cell phone and an automated voice told her that it was out of range.

The same thing happened on Tuesday. "Maybe they skipped the country," Lorelai suggested when Rory called her.

"Without telling me? And how does it work, them skipping the country when they're already out of the country?"

"Ooh, maybe they got kidnapped!"

Rory stopped her pacing in disbelief. "Are you trying to make me feel better?"

"Maybe."

"It's not working."

"Then I wasn't trying to."

"Why would he not tell me that he was staying longer? It would be fine, as long as I knew."

"Oh, honey," Lorelai soothed. "Remember that book I gave you when you were 12? _The SCUM Manifesto_? Just read it again."

Rory had to laugh at that. "I should probably go. I'm wasting minutes as it is, and I have some more homework that I need to do."

"Are you sure?" Lorelai replied. "We can stay on the phone and bash men some more if you'd like that."

Rory shook her head, though Lorelai couldn't see it. "I'll be fine. He's fine, I'm fine, we're all fine."

"Ok, just call me if you need anything else."

"Thanks."

"Bye, babe."

"Bye, Mom."

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"I slept with Tristan."

That certainly wasn't the greeting Rory expected when she knocked on the door to Stephanie's dorm the next day after her first class. She expected her roommate to chase her away with a baseball bat for coming over yet again. Instead, Stephanie flung open the door and pulled her in before she even had a chance to protest or ask her where they'd been for the past three days. The statement completely blindsided her.

"You did what?"

"I slept with Tristan," Stephanie repeated in a shushed voice, looking around wildly as if someone was watching her.

Rory didn't know what to say. "Well, maybe it was just a, um, fluke or mistake or something."

Stephanie shook her head vehemently. "No, no, no. The first time was a fluke. The second time was a mistake. And the third through fifth times? Well, those were just idiotic!"

"There was more than one time?" Rory squeaked. She had never been approached by something like this.

Stephanie sunk down into the couch and put her forehead in her hands. "And it's not as if I'm going out with Colin, or anybody for that matter, so why does it feel as though I've cheated?"

Rory sat down next to Stephanie and awkwardly patted the other girl's back. Was this how Paris felt? "We definitely have complicated lives," she murmured.

"I know, I know, I know. And it sucks! God damn, I hate guys, you know?"

"Yeah, I really know how you feel on this one."

Stephanie turned so that her cheek was in her hands. It was an uncomfortable position, and she eyed Rory critically. "Despite my best efforts, I feel this has turned into a conversation about you, girly-girl. So, spill. What's on your mind?"

"I was just wondering about where you and the fantastic four have been for the past couple days," Rory commented off-handedly, a bit more defiant.

"Oh. Logan didn't tell you?" Stephanie blurted out, then immediately clapped her hands over her mouth.

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Rory knocked on the door loudly. When the three boys didn't open up fast enough, she kicked it, a bit confused as to where this sudden anger against doors came in, but brushed it off. Finn was the one to open it, yawning widely. He rubbed his eyes and looked her up and down. He had on a shirt too small for him that said 'Old Money' and his hair was going in all different directions. But Rory didn't have the time to check him out.

"Where's Logan?" she demanded.

Finn yawned again. "You look brassed off. He's in his room."

Rory stormed in past Finn and threw open Logan's door. He sat up suddenly in bed, holding his pillow in front of him. It was obvious that she'd woken him up, but he split into a grin when he saw her. "Hi there, Ace."

"That's all you have to say for yourself?" she screamed shrilly. "You're gone two days without telling me where, your phone is out of area, and you can act all nonchalant about it?"

"I didn't think it was that big of deal," Logan defended.

"That big of deal? That big of deal! I was worried sick! And you didn't have the common curtsey to even call me up and tell me that you were staying two more days?"

Logan was beginning to get mad at her yelling. "I knew that you'd tell me about how bad it was to miss school, and frankly I didn't want to deal with your self-righteous attitude about school."

"My self-righteous attitude? I'm sorry, _master_," she hissed, spitting out the word as if it were burning her tongue to even think it. "I forgot that you can do no wrong. You're obviously right about everything all the time."

"I never said that."

"You insinuated it! I was never, ever going to tell you about how bad it was to miss school, and if you thought that then you obviously don't know me as well as you like to think that you do."

"You're right! Maybe I don't! I was under the impression that school came before everything, including me."

"Now you're just being silly."

"But I'm right. How many times have you blown me off to study, or to do homework, or something else of the sort, even when you have all the time of the rest of the weekend to do it?"

"I happen to like to get my schoolwork done with. But I'm sorry that I'm not the perfect girlfriend, that I don't drop everything I'm doing to come to your beck and call at a moment's notice!"

"And you think you know me so well? I'm sorry that I want to spend some time with my girlfriend. I didn't know that was so forbidden."

"I never said that."

"But you insinuated it!" he shot back, mimicking her voice in a high-pitched way.

She growled in frustration. "You're five! It's suddenly become so clear to me as to why I can't have a normal conversation with you!" She spun on her heel, but then turned back to look at him, her eyes blazing. "I'd tell you not to call me, but since you can't seem to use the phone, I'm sure I won't have to tell you."

"Not that I'd want to, I'd probably interrupt some desperately important studying!" he yelled back.

Rory stomped out of the room, slamming the door loudly behind her, and ignored Finn and Colin as they scrambled to make it look as though the weren't hiding behind the door frame and listening to the whole fight.


	10. Lawyers, Guns and Money

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Warren Zevon owns "Lawyers, Guns and Money."

A/N2: I'm completely sorry for the lack of update. It makes me just feel sick to know that I've taken this long. Writer's block, however, is a bitch. Thank yous are at the bottom. I feel as though I should start doing that again, as a small token of my undying gratitude to all of my reviewers.

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It had been over a week since Logan and Rory's fight. She had seen Stephanie twice, Colin once, and Finn a grand total of four times. They all seemed to want to cheer her up. She had been confused at first, wondering why they weren't avoiding her like the plague on Logan's account, but when she'd asked Stephanie about it the blond just laughed and told her that Logan didn't dictate their lives. That made Rory feel good, knowing that she had real friends, no matter how embarrassing their conversations were (the most recent being a debate about flavored condoms between Colin and Finn).

It was a week and a half after the fight that Stephanie took Rory out to lunch. She claimed that she wanted to help her forget about Logan. This process consisted of a lot of girl talk, mostly about Stephanie and Tristan.

"So, I've already got Finn's opinion on the matter, but a girl's point of view would be most welcome," Stephanie concluded.

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Finn?"

Stephanie split into an almost wicked grin. "Yes, Finn. He's like a brother to me. We tell each other everything."

Rory stopped mid-bite. "Everything?"

"Everything," Stephanie purred. "Such as, you two kissed."

"He told you that?" Rory yelped.

Stephanie clapped her hands together gleefully. "No, you just did."

"What?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Stephanie sighed. "When did this happen? The night before Christmas Eve?" Rory nodded. "I thought so. There was less unresolved tension, yet more sexual tension, if you know what at all I'm talking about. Don't worry, Logan doesn't know anything- they tell me everything, and I'm sure you'd know by now if he knew. Don't get me wrong, I love Logan to death and back, but he wouldn't know tension if it bit him in the ass. One of his worse faults." She grimaced. "Sorry, I forgot that we're not talking about him."

"It's okay," Rory lied. "It's good for me."

Stephanie brightened considerably. "Great, then you'll talk to him?"

Rory shook her head vehemently. "No, I don't think that will be happening any time in the near future. Or my lifetime."

Stephanie rolled her eyes, but there was a mysterious glint in her eye. "Fine, be that way. Just don't come whining to me when you two get into another fight after you make-up."

"Make-up," Rory echoed.

"You do want that, correct? I mean, I'm getting definite feelings of love off you."

"You're getting what off me? Sure, I probably loved Logan, but no, not now. I don't think we can be together anymore. But I think I'd like to try to be friends with him."

"Okay, sure." Stephanie gave her a fake smile and thumbs up. "You have oodles of fun with that. I mean, it turned out great last time you tried that."

Rory glared at her friend. "Whose side are you on?"

"No ones! I'm neutral! I'm the Switzerland in this battle, England."

"Why am I England?"

"Would you rather be France? It's pretty there. You can go shopping!"

"Who is Logan?"

"Don't make me choose," Stephanie whined. "Fine, no country comparisons. Except for me, because I am the epitome of Switzerland. But seriously, I wish you luck. If you wanna be friends, then don't let my negativity and jaded out look on life get in your way."

"Thank you so much for your support," Rory dead-panned.

Stephanie shrugged, pretending it was nothing. "You're just lucky you have a friend as great as me."

"Your modesty is overwhelming, Steph," a new voice chimed in, pulling up a chair and grabbing a few of Rory's French fries.

Rory slapped Finn's hand, but he held on tightly to his prize, stuffing them into his mouth as quickly as he could. "Ladies and gentlemen, the ever charming Phineas," Stephanie introduced sarcastically.

Finn swallowed the fries with an innocent look. "That was dead sexy, you're just too scared to admit it."

"Oh god, you totally caught me," she replied sardonically. "How'd you know we were here? Stalking us?"

He took a bite of her turkey burger. "Have you ever wondered what that bump on the back of your neck is?"

"Creeper."

Finn just snapped his fingers to get the waiters attention. "Good sir, I'll have a Mudslide, the blond will have a Lemon Drop, and the brunette will take a Chocolate Martini."

"Chocolate Martini?" Rory questioned.

"It's wonderful, darling, simply marvelous. There's a little chocolate kiss at the bottom waiting for you. It's brilliant," Finn assured her, taking a few more of her fries.

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"And then she said that she just wants to be friends with him!" Stephanie groused to Colin and Finn, who were perched on the couch watching her pace in front of them. "I mean, what the hell kind of shit is that? It makes no sense!"

"Maybe you should respect her wishes, love. If she wants to just be friends, let her," Finn suggested.

Stephanie stopped her pacing momentarily to glare at him. "Stop being biased and weigh in as un-objectively as you possibly can be. This is a crucial juncture."

"I think Stephanie's been taken over by the Pod People," Colin stage-whispered to Finn, who snickered.

"Colin, you're an idiot," she snapped. "This is freakin' important. Rory and Logan are both deeply in denial, and need a bit of reassurance that they can, y'know, push through this."

"What if they don't want to?" Finn pressed.

"They want to," she firmly replied.

"Fine." Finn sighed comically. "What do you want me to do? Drug and blindfold them?"

"You're a hoot and a half," Colin said sarcastically.

Ignoring Colin's comment, Stephanie explained, "It would be like an intervention, but with less drinking a la Arrested Development. The last thing we need is drunken mediators."

"Speak for yourself," Finn grumbled while Colin scoffed.

"We'll meet at my dorm room tomorrow about two-thirty, say?" Without waiting for confirmation, she continued, "I'll be sure to clear the area of anything blunt or sharp. Or that could possibly be thrown. You two can bring Logan here."

"I'm guessing all arguments are out of the question at this juncture," Colin quipped.

"Basically," she agreed with a coy grin.

Finn and Colin stood up. "We're gonna go now," Colin told her, briefly squeezing her hand as he passed by her.

Finn tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Your heart's in the right place, pet, but I don't think will work if you just spring it on them like this."

"Jealous pessimist," she accused playfully.

He put his hand over his heart and gave her his best pitiful look. "You wound me right here."

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"Please?" Stephanie begged, unusual for the blond girl who was used to people falling at her feet, sometimes literally. She looked Rory straight in the eye. "C'mon, we can make margaritas and complain about how much guys suck."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Don't you do that everyday?"

"True, but you can talk this time."

Rory smiled and stood up, stretching her legs. "I'm coming, you win. As long as you don't babble about Tristan the whole time."

Stephanie traced an 'X' over her heart. "Cross my heart, hope to die."

The two girls were halfway to Stephanie's dorm when Rory stopped. "Where are we going?"

Stephanie stared. "My dorm. Obviously. We're just taking the long way."

"Why? Because you don't want me to go past Logan's dorm? What, does he have a girl there already?"

Stephanie silently cursed to herself, knowing Rory of all people would have caught on to something like that. "No, I just figured the last thing you wanted to see was Logan or his dorm."

"But I'm fine with it," Rory protested.

Stephanie linked arms with her friend. "Cleopatra, queen of denial," she patronized.

"Victoria, queen of not letting go, don't," Rory mimicked back.

"Your call," Stephanie replied calmly.

Rory looked at the girl suspiciously, but didn't say anything more on the subject until they arrived at their destination a few minutes later. When Stephanie opened the door, the first thing Rory noticed were Logan, Colin, and Finn sitting on the couch. She detached her arm from Stephanie's and turned on the other girl.

"You planned this!" she accused.

At the same time Logan punched Finn-being the closest to him- in the arm. "I can't believe you did this!"

Finn punched Logan back. "This is for your own good, or so I'm told."

Colin pushed Finn away and began to speak, silencing the feuding Stephanie and Rory in the process. "This is for your own good. Both of yours, actually. Logan's been moping around like some love-sick puppy, and I've heard that Rory has actually drowned in denial. So, kids, you have to work out your own little mess, if not for your own sakes, than for the rest of us."

"And don't try throwing things at each other- I removed everything that isn't bolted down," Stephanie added.

Rory tried leaving, but Stephanie blocked the exit. "Don't even bother; I'm a black belt in Tai Kwon Do- my mother had fears of me being attacked."

"I have nothing to say to _him_." Rory practically spit the word out with menace. "I said everything that needs to be said last week when he lied to me."

"I didn't lie to you," Logan protested.

"Yes you did! You hid the truth from me. Is that not lying? And you acted like it was no big deal!"

"Because it wasn't!"

"I was actually worried, though in retrospect I'm having trouble wondering I was worried over you."

"Real rich."

"No, that's you, which you have no problems flaunting in my face or anyone else's face, for that matter."

"Can I have a list of all the things that bother you about me, you know, just for reference?" he asked sardonically.

"No, I don't have enough time for that," she retorted.

Stephanie exchanged a worried glance with Colin. This was going the opposite way of where she wanted it to go. Colin gave her a sympathetic smile, but made no attempt to get up in case Logan did something particularly stupid.

"Then can I have the Reader's Digest version? Please, oh please? I don't want one of my faults being that I don't know I have faults." His voice was dripping with sarcasm now.

"There goes number one on the list," she snapped back. "Fine, you want a few of your flaws? You're self-absorbed, you're shallow, you never think of my feelings and you are always trying to buy me, as if I'm one of your other girls who want things, possessions. If you knew me at all-and it's obvious you don't- than you'd know that I don't want meaningless objects."

"You're right, I don't know you. Because if I knew you, I'd know that you are high-maintenance, whiny, you run hot and cold, and that you are self-absorbed also."

Rory had tears in her eyes as she stared at him. "People told me not to get involved with you. My mother, Luke, Marty, but no, I wanted to be independent. I gave up my friendship with Marty because of you. And do you know where it led me? Here. I don't want to be here, with you. That's why I'm leaving. I don't want to be with you and I don't want to be here, this state of mind that is hurting me. I'm leaving, and if you have any common sense at all you will not follow, though I doubt that will be a problem."

She whispered something to Stephanie and slowly opened up the door, turning to her left to go back to her dorm. Logan got up angrily from his seat. "I can't believe you planned this," he hissed to Stephanie.

"Logan, I love you. I really do. But right now, you are bugging my shit," she quietly replied.

He opened the door and stalked out the other way. "That went well," Colin stated.

Finn opened his mouth to say something, but Stephanie cut him off with a stare. "Don't. Just, don't."

"Nice to see how much faith you put in me, doll. I was just going to ask if you were going to go after Ror or Logan," he informed her. "I volunteer for the position of comforting Rory."

Stephanie sighed and laid down across both of their laps. "Fine, fine, whatever. I don't care. I think I'll just stay here and mourn for the death of the relationship."

"I guess that leaves me with Logan." Colin got up, leaving Stephanie to pout at the lack of warmth.

Finn kissed her temple. "Sorry it didn't work out like you wanted, darling. I guess I'm off before she does something drastic like stop drinking coffee or reading a sub-par book."

Stephanie grabbed his hand as he got up. "Its better this way, isn't it? I mean, I don't think they would have been able to survive each other any longer. It was bound to happen. This isn't my fault, is it?"

Finn brought her knuckles to his lips. "Don't worry, this isn't your fault. You did what you thought was right and no one can blame you for that."

She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the pillow. "Thanks, babe."

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Rory wiped her eyes before she entered her dorm, praying to any god that would listen that Doyle wasn't there. Someone must have been looking out for her, because as it turned out neither Doyle nor Paris were anywhere to be seen. The first thing she did was go to the fridge and take out every single carton of ice cream that was there. She didn't even bother to turn on the TV, but instead stared ahead of her blankly as she ate her ice cream.

Within minutes, the door opened. Rory hurried to make it look as though she wasn't wallowing, but Finn was the one that entered. As he already knew what had transpired, she quit her actions. As soon as she made eye contact with him, she immediately burst into fresh tears. Finn sat down beside her and gathered her into his arms, suddenly wondering why he had volunteered for this- he was no good at dealing with crying girls.

"You probably think I'm so mean for saying those things," she hiccupped.

He rested his chin on her head. "No, no, no. I think you spoke your mind, which is brave. If it helps, I think you made the right decision."

She pulled away so she could look him in the eye. "Really?"

"Really really," he answered with a charming grin.

She smiled back despite the tears. "Will you still talk to me?"

"Every day if you want," he promised. _When did I turn into such a bloody sap? Even my thoughts scream 'chick flick.' _Changing the subject, he asked, "Which romantic movie do you want to watch? A good one that will make you have hope in my sex again, or one that will make you want to kill me at the end? I'm hoping you chose the latter, but that's just me."

She thought a moment. "I don't know. You chose. Do you want some ice cream?"

"I'll get a spoon after I put the movie in," he replied. Rory took another scoop of ice cream and watched Finn walk around the room, helping her get over his friend. She thought it was funny, and even smiled in spite of herself, but didn't let him see it. She wanted him to stay.

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Thank you to….

**Freakage**- Hee. I thought I was the only one that saw how long his neck was, and I thought people would think that I was completely psycho for thinking that… but yay! Haha. Plus, you feel bad for him, which means that I've succeeded.

**LandonLover**- You liked the fight? Awesome! Hee. Guys are stupid. I love David & Goliath tees. They completely rock my socks, I must say. How soon are you expecting Rory/Finn? Haha. I'm totally kidding. I'm just messing with you. I have not seen Sin City yet (unfortunately), but I heard Alexis kicks ass in it.

**mystripedskirt**- Yes! My job is complete all because you did not expect the Stephanie/Tristan. Hee. I love subplots. I put the 'old money' bit in there because I saw a shirt that said that and I thought "It'd be great if Stephanie could wear that." Then I thought, "And it'd be even better if Finn was." Hee. I love Finn.

**otownroxx**- Yes, they will be together… eventually… evil grin.

**Pocahontas83**- Love triangles make the world go 'round. I love them. Yes, 5 times. They're both very much in the nymphomaniac range of the spectrum…. I promise, that makes sense somewhere. Haha. Rory is deeply conflicted. Who wouldn't be? Well, I wouldn't because I know what my choice would be, but I can see where she's coming from… and that totally didn't sound conceited… Heh. I love name calling, and I wish I could have had more in the fights, but it just didn't seem… right.

**Agel15**- Nobody can blame Rory. Though I think I'm making Logan as too much of a bad person, which is always a bad thing. Can I let you in on a secret? I actually do like his character, I just… don't. If that made any sense. I doubt it did, but whatever.

**Kellie**- I have a friend that spells her name exactly the same way! Oh man, that's great. Haha. Tangent. Anywho, yes, Finn. Finn is… Finn. He's Australian. I love him to death…. Thought I'd throw that out there.

**Alicia** **Jo**- I think it's the break up everyone's been waiting for… Hee.

**Smile1**- Yaya! Your reviews always make me smile, though I think that probably has something to do with your name… subliminal messages, eh?

**Bookworms**- Ahh! You are my muse! Reviews are awesome, no matter how cheesy. Cheese rocks.

**ReeseAnn**- Good. Not the running away part, I don't want anyone to run away from my stories… though that'd be pretty funny… but that's because I have an odd imagination… Heh. You actually thought it was scary? Heck yes!

**crissy**- I think the main reason you don't like Logan in the fic is because I have strange powers of persuasion…or something less self-centered, haha.

More thank yous to **Logan13**, **KeitaWolf**, **fairieangel**, **cinemagal**, and of course **OTHlover04**. You are all ten kinds of awesome!


	11. Apple Blossom

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." "Apple Blossom" is owned by The White Stripes.

A/N2: This should make up for the lack of update. Haha, not really, but I can pretend, right? Well, today is Sunday (or, at least, it was when I posted it), so that would be… never mind, I'm not in math right now. Anywho, as before, thank yous are at the bottom. You guys are the best!

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Rory Gilmore was stressed. She has only one class left before Spring Break officially started, and she had a huge test in said class. So she was walking there with her notes in one hand and a coffee in the other. It wasn't as if she wasn't prepared, because she was, she just wanted to be extra prepared.

Due to her preoccupied state, she managed to bump shoulder with someone else. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, turning around to face the person. Her jaw almost fell open with surprise. "Marty?"

He turned around also at the sound of her voice. "Rory?"

"Hey." She moved to hug him, but immediately checked herself of that impulse.

"Hi," he replied, shifting his weight to his other foot. "What's up?" He then cringed. "That was so stupid, I apologize."

She smiled. "I don't mind."

"What class do you have?"

"American Lit." She checked her watch. "Of which I am late for. I'm so sorry. Do you maybe want to get a cup of coffee afterwards to catch up?"

This time he was the one that smiled. "I'd like that. Call me when your class gets out?"

"Do you have your same number?"

"Same number, same phone," he confirmed with a comical facial gesture of disgust.

She laughed and apologized again before rushing off to her class. He watched her for a moment before shaking his head and walking the other way.

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He spotted her right away. She was sitting at a table with coffee next to one hand and a book in the other. His logical side told him that this was a bad idea, while the other more illogical side told him that he was over and it wasn't polite to stand her up. His illogical side won.

He sat down across from her. "Hey. How was your test?"

She put her book down. "How'd you know?"

"Because I know you."

She laughed. "Good point. I think I did pretty well. What about you? And tests today?"

He nodded. "One. It was a pop quiz, one I'm fairly sure I failed."

She shook her head. "I doubt that. You're very smart."

"Glad you think so."

"You are," she argued.

He smiled at that. "Just like old times, huh?"

"Yeah," she agreed as they fell into an uncomfortable silence. "I guess not totally like old times then."

"Not yet, but it will be."

"So, how have you been? How long has it been since we talked? Five, six months?"

"About that," he replied. "I've been good. I actually had a girlfriend until about two months ago."

Rory perked up. "Really? What was her name?"

"Julia. History major, sophomore. She was really smart, but got bored to easily." He gave Rory a pointed look to convey his meaning. "Speaking of which, how are things with Logan?" He was proud of himself to be able to ask her that without sounding like he'd rather burn his tongue off.

She looked down at her coffee. "We actually broke up about three months ago."

He gave her a supportive smile. "I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

He shrugged. "True. You were too good for him anyway."

Rory decided it was then that she should change the subject. "How have classes been going for you? Anything new? Change of major, perhaps?"

He shook his head, taking his coffee order from the waitress. "No, but I did change my minor. It's now music history."

"Really? Is it interesting?"

"Not really," he admitted. "We're still stuck on the ballroom music of the late 1800s."

"What were you expecting, a history of the Damned on the first day?" she joked, finishing her coffee.

He laughed. "Something like that, actually." He took a sip of his coffee. "What about you? Have you suddenly gone Bohemian and are now working at a coffee shop instead of supplying a steady income for each and every one within a five mile radius of New Haven?"

She made a funny face at him. "Very funny. No, I'm still journalism major. I have a job at the Times this summer."

"The Times?" He echoed. "Really? Congratulations."

She blushed slightly. "It's not that big, actually. I'm sure all I'm going to be doing is getting coffee for everyone else and kissing people's behinds in hopes of getting a real job there after I graduate."

"I'm sure you'll have no problems with that." He gave her a wide smile of assurance. It was almost back to normal with them, their banter and her wit. And in a purely platonic way, that he was sure of.

She smiled back at him, and began to explain about the tension in the newsroom Doyle and Paris were creating. Ever since their breakup- their third one in a year, she'd told him- they were fervently trying to avoid one another and failing miserably. It was causing strain on the newsroom, and everyone had to walk on eggshells around the two. "They could use a week away from each other, that's definite," Rory explained with a laugh.

It was half an hour later, though neither had been keeping track of time, when they heard a voice exclaim, "Mary!"

Rory turned around immediately, much to the confusion of Marty, and saw Tristan standing there, almost right behind her. She furrowed her eyebrows at confusion at his presence. He ignored her and gave her a hug and a kiss on the temple, which only added to the bewilderment. He made himself comfortable in a chair he pulled up from a table next to there's and eyed Marty.

"I heard about your break up with Logan, but I didn't expect you to move on so quickly, Mar," he joked.

Rory shook her head. "No, this is my friend Marty. Marty, this is Tristan."

Tristan grasped Marty's hand in a tight grip. "Nice to meet you, Marty."

"Be nice," Rory warned under her breath.

"I'm always nice," he replied.

"Marty, Tristan went to high school with me," she quickly explained to her friend.

Marty gave her the best smile he could, but only he knew that it was fake. Something about Tristan rubbed him the wrong away. His stature just screamed 'Logan' and 'rich.' He got up. "I have to get going."

Tristan pulled him back down. "No, I'll be quick. I was just coming to ask Mar if she'd seen Stephanie. I tried her dorm, but she wasn't there."

"Why do you need to find Steph?" Rory challenged.

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so she told you. If you must know, I've just driven two and a half hours, and I'd like to find my best gal pal. We're all going to Cabo for spring break."

"Cabo?" she repeated.

"Free jell-o shots." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed. "Try the pub. I think she's there with Colin and Logan."

"No Finn?" he asked innocently.

"Don't you have someone to find?"

"Fine, I can see where I'm not wanted." He turned his head in mock hurt.

"Go find Stephanie," Rory instructed, pointing to the door.

"I can take a hint. I'll leave you to your non-date." He got up and gave her another hug. "I'll see you when we get back, I promise. For old time's sake."

"Have fun."

"My first tequila shot will be in your honor," he half-promised/half-joked.

"I already feel privileged," she teased back.

Tristan held his hand out to Marty. "See you later, man. Take good care of her."

After Tristan left, Marty was feeling decidedly uncomfortable and more than a little jealous. Another blond, another history, another nickname. After engaging in some more small talk with Rory, he took out his wallet to pay for his drink.

"I have a flight to catch," he lied. "But we can do this again sometime after break."

Rory nodded, hugged him, and went back to her dorm to pack, a little disheartened at his lack of response after Tristan left.

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"What should two lovely gals like us do on this evening of the last day of spring break?" Lorelai asked her daughter.

So far the two had had two movie nights, one spa day, one day of shopping, a very important town meeting they needed to mock, and a crucial spring festival that had turned awkward after they ran into Clara. Now Lorelai was up for one last activity to share with her best friend and daughter.

"We could dress up and paint the town fuchsia, which I hear is the new red," she suggested jokingly.

"Or we could have dinner at Luke's, the go to the Black, White, and Read Bookstore and watch old _Zorro_ movies," Rory replied.

Lorelai leaned back and stroked her chin in contemplation. "I've decided that I like your plan better because we look terrible in fuchsia."

Rory pushed herself up off the couch. "I'll go get changed."

"And then you'll tell me what's bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me."

"You forget that we're the same person, so I know when something's bothering you. Plus, you've been in your own world almost all week, but you haven't been depressed enough to not be having fun, because otherwise I'd have brought this up sooner."

Rory sighed. "Yes, something's bothering me."

"Guy trouble?" Lorelai guessed sympathetically.

"How'd you know?"

"Did you not hear the 'same person' part of my previous speech?" She sat down and beckoned Rory to do the same. "Tell mommy what's wrong."

Rory tucked her feet underneath herself and sucked in a breath before beginning. "Do you remember Marty?"

"The naked guy who was your friend until he told you he liked you until you went out with Logan and he abandoned you because of said relationship?" Lorelai confirmed. "Yes, vaguely."

"Thank you, Exposition Fairy," Rory dead-panned, prompting her mother to stick her tongue out at her. "Anyway, I ran into him again last Friday-"

"And you forgot to tell me this?" Lorelai interrupted. "For shame!"

Rory, ignoring her mother's outburst, continued, "I ran into him and we ended up getting coffee to catch up. At first, everything was good, but then Tristan showed up."

"Tristan? How is he?"

"I'll tell you after."

"Oh, right, continue."

"Anyway, Tristan showed up wondering where Stephanie was. And nothing went wrong. He stayed maybe five minutes, he was polite to Marty, everything. But after he left, Marty was kind of distant and left really quickly."

"Maybe he still likes you," Lorelai offered.

Rory shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it."

Lorelai thought about it a moment longer. "Did Tristan do anything unusual?"

"Well, when he arrived, he did hug me and kiss my temple. He also mentioned Logan," Rory replied.

Lorelai snapped her fingers. "That's it! Marty sees Tristan as another Logan. Since he didn't like Logan, he automatically doesn't like Tristan. They do look a lot alike, you know."

Rory frowned. "That's pretty judgmental."

"As is life," Lorelai sadly agreed. She suddenly launched herself up from the couch. "Now that we've got that settled, I say we get ready for dinner. I'm hungry enough to eat Mr. Ed."

"Not Mr. Ed!" Rory exclaimed.

"Sorry, babe, I just never liked him," Lorelai admitted. "He may have been amazing, but what they failed to mention was that he was amazingly condescending."

"So what you're saying is that you want Mr. Ed, a horse, to treat you as an equal?"

"I don't see how that's so hard!"

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It was nearing the end of May, which meant finals. Rory was studying for her upcoming tests when there was a loud plop next to her. She looked up to see Finn sitting there and grinning at her.

"Hello, love, long time no see."

She smiled and gave him a tight hug, inhaling his scent at the same time. He smelt of aftershave and the faint aroma of alcohol that seemed to constantly follow him around.

"What are you doing here? In the library?" she asked after she finally let go of him.

He looked around, his face a mask of utter perplexity. "This is the library? I thought it was the cafeteria." His eyes met hers again and he smirked. "You, Ms. Gilmore, are one tricky thing to track down. I haven't seen you since Tristan forced Stephanie and I to come along in his quest to terrorize you."

She laughed and closed her book. "That's my fault; I've been insanely busy between studying, getting ready for New York, and the paper."

"Ah, studying." Finn nodded his head as if not quite clear on the concept of which she was speaking. "That would be why you're here."

"That, and Paris and Doyle are back together." She shuttered slightly at the thought. "I've been banished."

He made a face. "Thanks for the visual, doll, I'll have fun sleeping tonight." He took one of the books in her pile and studied the outside intently, flipping through the pages. "New York, eh? You got that job?"

"I didn't tell you?"

He shook his head. "You were to busy, what with the studying and the whole avoiding me thing," he joked.

"I wasn't avoiding you!"

"Sure," he patronized.

Rory rolled her eyes, but smiled. "What about you? Another exotic locale?"

"Europe, then Australia," he informed her. He opened the book to a random page, but after a moment replaced it on the top of the pile with the rest. "This looks boring as fuck. I've got a better idea: you can come over and we can watch movies and you'll be in a nice dorm instead of bored out of your skull."

Her eyes widened. "Your dorm?"

"Logan's not there," he informed her. "He's on a…" he trailed off, unsure on whether or not he should complete that sentence.

"It's okay, you can say 'date,'" Rory told him.

"He's doing that, so you'll be okay," Finn promised.

Rory looked at her watch. Almost nine. While she should have been studying, she couldn't say no to Finn. "Okay, I'll come over. But I can't stay forever in case he comes home early."

He grinned and pulled her chair out for her. "After you."

Once at the dorm, Finn called out for Colin. When there was no reply, he made a beeline for the kitchen telling Rory, "He must not be here, the slacker."

Rory took that opportunity to raid the boys' DVD cabinet. "What are you in the mood for?" Finn just stuck his head out from around the kitchenette and smirked at her. She rolled her eyes. "Forget I asked."

"You can pick!" he called to her.

She rifled through the cabinet some more before coming upon one she liked. "_Romancing the Stone_!" she squealed.

Finn emerged from the kitchen bearing two Key Lime Martinis. "I think that's Stephanie's."

"I don't care if it's Matthew Broderick's, you gave me full film disclosure," she informed him.

"Hey! Stop using my words against me!" He paused. "And why would Matthew Broderick be here?"

"I'm being facetious."

"You didn't sound it," he replied childishly.

She didn't dignify that with a response, but instead made herself comfortable on the couch. Her feet were on Finn's lap, and he was absentmindedly rubbing them. She sipped her martini slowly as the movie began.

By the end of the movie, she was right next to him, molded into his side. One hand was in his and he was lightly tracing circles on her palm. The pitcher the martini mix had been in, which had been filled twice, was sitting empty on the coffee table. Finn turned off movie, and Rory sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. He sucked in a sharp breath and looked the other way berating himself for not being able to keep control. He silently cursed her for doing this to him. This was not him; he was always collected, which was what helped him at parties.

"Finn?" Rory asked.

"Hmm?" he replied.

"What time is it?"

He looked down at his watch. "A little after eleven."

He tuned his head toward her, and she wasn't leaning against him anymore. Suddenly, something happened, something she later described as "one of those cheesy movie moments." They met in the middle, and she tangled her hands in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as close to him as he possibly could.

Then, he lowered her down onto the couch so he was on top. His fingers trailed lightly under her stomach, feeling the warmth of the skin there. She moaned slightly, giving him more incentive. He moved his hands higher, playing with the flesh he found under the fabric. She moaned again and he undid her bra, simultaneously kissing her jaw and neck.

Neither heard the door open, but they both heard the throat being cleared. Finn and Rory jumped apart. She blushed a deep crimson and he just raked a hand through his already messy hair. "Uh, hey, Logan."

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**cinemagal**- Have faith, this will be a Rory/Finn. I just want them to suffer. A lot. This is(hopefully) going to be a long story… yes, I know, painful.

**HappyNoodles**- How did I make a whole story about Rory/Finn? Well, in all honesty, I'm not a huge fan of any of Rory's boyfriends. It's common for me: I like the unconventional. Once two characters get together, especially after a long time, I just… I don't like it. Odd, I'm aware, but for now I can live delusional and pretend that Rory/Finn have a chance, haha.

**Smile1**- Eep! I think that was one of my best reviews. I hope you did well on your exams. Thank you so much!

**Agel15**- Thank you for understanding what I was talking about. Some people have problems because, well, I have an unusual speech pattern. I know, Steph just, she's not used to being nice, haha.

**Bookworms**- Shout-out? I'm slow. I totally gave you a shout-out in this chapter though. Like, actually in the chapter. Can you find it? Lemme give you a hint: music. Haha. Oh man, I know! I was ready to friggin' KILL Most painful day of school the next day, must say. That one was your favorite? Awesome! I liked it. Do you like this one? Haha. I think this one is my favorite, but now that I've written the best story ever(or not, but I'm taking about Stuck), this one pales in comparison. Haha. Random, I know. Anywho, I'll probably talk to you, like, tomorrow.

**Pocahontas83**- Haha. This chapter is up faster than the last one, so that's gotta be good, right? I don't want you to hate Logan… no, scratch that, I do, but not forever. At least, now I want you to. I'm gonna have a hell of a time trying to get people to like him again, huh? Well, at least you hate him now which means I've definitely done my job. Yay for long reviews! Man, I wanted to write the conversation about flavored condoms, but I figured it'd be better to leave it up to your imagination. Stephanie is conniving. I love her. Yes, Colin knows, and yes, Stephanie can see right through Finn. They've been friends for quite a while. The insane thing? So contagious. I totally understood what you were talking about, however. I actually see Rory as a bit high-maintenance, but that's just me. I'm jaded. TWoP. Finn is… I dunno what Finn is, but I love him too and I'm glad you do.

**TSOHoneybaby**- Nobody does, until someone mentions it. It scares me, and Bookworms realized that they cover up his neck almost every episode. They know it too!

**honeyluv**- Thank you, so much. Writer's block blows ass(crude, I know, but whatever). Yes! Logan's neck! That is my newest obsession. I think I may write a story about it… haha. Or not. But it'd be fun.

**LandonLover**- blows. A lot. They assume a lot of things, like when I should or shouldn't post my story. Le sigh. But whatever. They suck. Haha. Anywho, I still wanna see _Sin City_ sooo badly! Haha. Still haven't seen it, sad I know, but I've been kinda busy. Haha. Was this fast enough? I just got inspired. It comes in bursts. Weird, I know. Haha.

**Alicia Jo**- Of course he wants Rory. Who doesn't? Except, y'know, those who don't like, say, me. I prefer Finn, thank you very much… I like him as supportive guy because you won't see him that like often.

**jmarit17**- Thank you so much!

**crissy**- Nothing happened between them that night, and obviously(from this last chapter) nothing happens for quite a while. Hee. That's because I'm mean. You can't help loving Finn/Rory, but I totally know what you mean, which is why they(by that, I mean he) waited a while.

**ReeseAnn**- I know, I was giving you a hard time. Odd humor. But thank you so much for all of your reviews! I loved them all! Made me giggle and smile like an idiot. Hee hee. Convenience is always good, but yeah. I love writing fights in this chapter, which is odd because I usually hate writing fights.

**mystripedskirt**- Stephanie thinks she is doing well. As you can see, that did not quite happen the way she expected…Mmm…. Tanc Sade. Lots and lots of prettiness all wrapped up in one complete package(he sings! He dances! He acts! What's there not to love?). Well, that wasn't intense(or, at least, so intense that I become scared of you and/or your review), but however, I got this Sunday and I am posting this chapter Sunday. Coincidence? I think not!


	12. Patience

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Guns N' Roses own "Patience."

A/N2: Oh man, what is with the whole three chapters posted within a reasonable time of each other thing I've got going on? I'm so going to let you down soon. I'm sorry. But until then, I hope you're happy with what I've put up so far. I mean, look at this action! Three chapters! Three! I mean, my god! I feel good. Also, I love the chapter title. Why? I revel in irony. It makes my world go 'round. Haha. Thank you's are at the bottom again.

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Logan stared at his best friend and his ex-girlfriend in shock. They couldn't have been doing what he thought they were doing; they wouldn't be stupid enough to do that, especially in the dorm he and Finn shared.

Rory and Finn looked just as mortified as him, if not more. Rory was disheveled, her shirt askew and her make up mussed. It was clear to Logan that her bra was undone and it still would have been clear even if he hasn't walked in with Finn's hands up her shirt.

The room was deathly quiet for the next painful thirty seconds until Finn whispered to Rory, "You should go, doll."

"No, Ace, stay," Logan suggested in a calm tone between gnashing teeth.

"Go," Finn repeated, this time more forcefully.

Rory seemed to finally get her wits back together and wasted no time in gathering her things and ran out the door. She leaned against the door for a minute, pausing to redo her bra and flatten out the hair that had been messed up. When she did get back to her dorm, she changed out of her clothes and called her mother.

Back at the boys' dorm, however, things were not going as well. After Rory made her exit, they two remaining were engaged in an intense stand off until Logan walked over and calmly punched Finn in the jaw.

"Fuck on a bloody stick!" Finn exclaimed, grabbing his jaw. He glared menacingly up at Logan for a split-second before jumping up and punching Logan's jaw in retaliation.

Logan grabbed his jaw in shock. "Bastard!"

Finn smirked and punched him again, but this time in the stomach. This time Logan wasted no time in responding and tackled Finn to the ground. They were engaged in a wrestling match on the ground until Logan was able to break away. The two leapt to their feet, glaring at each other until Logan rushed at Finn, grabbing him in a headlock. Finn reacted by doing the exact same thing to his friend.

After a minute of this, Finn said, "I've got a brilliant idea: at the same time, we both let go."

"How do I know that you're going to let go?" Logan replied.

Finn didn't answer, but instead counted to three. They both let go and stumbled away from each other, gasping for breath. Finn collapsed against the couch and looked up at Logan. "Why are you so bloody pissed, you were the one out on a date. You're over her, and we all know it."

"Finn, what's the number one rule?"

"Don't talk about fight club?" he guessed sarcastically.

"Phineas," Logan warned dangerously. "You know that the rule is don't date each other's exes. It always turns about badly, and it doesn't matter whether or not I'm over her."

"How do you know I want to date her? How do you know I don't want a quick screw like usual?" Finn challenged.

"Rory Gilmore is not a one-night stand; you know that as well as I do. Besides, you wouldn't do that to her."

"And how do you know this?"

Logan sat down next to Finn. "Because I've met you. Contrary to popular opinion, there are some women out there that you actually do like for more than seven minutes. They're few and far between, but they do exist."

Finn glared at his friend. "It's more than seven minutes, you know. More like ten or twelve."

Logan smirked. "Sorry about the whole punching thing."

Finn shrugged. "Not exactly the first time this has happened to me over a girl, mate."

Logan laughed and pulled his friend into a hug. "You know I love you. But now, I'm afraid, we have to talk about something a bit more on the serious side."

"Because the talk has been so light and fluffy up to now?" Finn retorted sarcastically.

Logan punched him on the arm. "You know what I mean."

Finn clutched his forearm. "Do you really want to start that shite again? Because I totally owned your arse."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Delusional, party of one. Like I was saying, I have something important to talk to you about." He took a deep breath. "We've been friends since sophomore year of high school, and since then we've always had the rule of not going out with each other's exes since you and Tristan got in that fight after you hooked up with Beth twenty minutes after she and Tristan broke up. Remember how bad it got? You two forced the rest of us to choose sides. It was a big mess."

"So you don't want me going out with Rory," Finn summed up.

"Basically."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want us to stop being friends because of this. Besides, Rory deserves better," Logan explained.

"Than us?" Finn asked incredulously. "Have you met us? We're perfect specimens of the male species, Colin not included."

"She doesn't need good sex-though that's a bonus. She needs someone who'll be there. Can you do that?"

Finn thought about this a moment. "I see what you mean. Okay, I'll stay away," he relented. _How hard can it be? It's just a girl._

Logan smiled. "It's settled. Would you like crash Steph and her friends at the Pub?"

Finn made a face. "Your date go that bad?"

"Histrionic."

"I'm a histrionic."

"I'm aware."

"So what's wrong? It'd be like dating me," Finn innocently said.

"If I wanted to date you, I would."

"Oh, I don't give it up that easily," Finn interrupted playfully.

"However," Logan continued, "when the girl I'm dating is more dramatic than you, there are going to be problems."

"What are you getting at? That you don't want to date me?"

"That I can only deal with one histrionic person in my life."

"Aww, you love me because I'm unique," Finn teased.

Logan smirked. "Yup, that's it."

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Rory lay on the couch flipping through the channels. Her mother sat on the floor and ate popcorn, chatting and giving suggestions. But not just any suggestions, she was giving out suggestions on how to deal with the Finn situation.

It had been two weeks since the kissing incident, and no word from him. She'd called him once, but his voicemail was full again. The semester was now over and she was back with her mom for only a few more days until her job started. Finn was, with no doubt, already out of the country gallivanting around with cute European girls and she wouldn't see him again until the fall, if that.

"You could dress yourself up in whipped cream, or you could even boil a rabbit," Lorelai offered, trying her best to control her laughter.

"How many times do I have to tell you that my life does not parallel either of those movies?" Rory sighed.

"I can hope, can't I?"

"What about you and Luke?" Rory questioned, abruptly changing the topic in hope that her mother would stop spitting out ideas in which animals died. "How are you two doing?"

Lorelai bit her lip. "We're doing well."

"You're overwhelming me with your enthusiasm," Rory replied sardonically. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lorelai answered quickly. "We're fine. I'm fine, he's fine, the town's fine, and our relationship is fine. Are you hungry?"

"Topic changing isn't going to work. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Lorelai insisted.

"You're lying."

"Fine," Lorelai pouted. "I don't think Luke is interested in me anymore."

Rory had to suppress a laugh. He'd been interested in her for nine years, what'd changed? "Why do you think that?"

"I don't know. It's just, the talks. The talks normal couples have about this time, we haven't had those. No marriage talks, no kid talks, no sex talks, nothing."

"No sex talks?" Rory repeated skeptically.

"Nope. We've had sex, but no sex talks."

Rory wrinkled her nose. "Too much information."

Lorelai sighed and leaned her head back to look up at the ceiling. "Why doesn't he want to marry me?"

Rory scooted herself down to sit next to her mother. "He wants to marry you. He wants to be with you. But it's Luke- he's not exactly known for being an open book. He's probably just scared."

"He never gets scared. He kills the bugs and takes the trash out at one in the morning and walks down dark alleys all by himself for fun."

"But he's been there. He was there when you ran away from Max. Believe it or not, he was also there when his own marriage failed. You just have to give him time. He's not going anywhere, that I can guarantee you. Luke loves you to death."

Lorelai smiled and leaned her head against her daughter's. "Is that what they teach you at your school of yours?"

"Yes. Everyday at four we have lessons in love."

There was a silence, and then Lorelai said, "I wasn't kidding about the hunger thing. You want something to eat?"

"What do we have?"

Lorelai got up and went to the kitchen. A few minutes later she returned empty handed. "We have questionable vegetable-like substances and two cans of soup that look like they were around for the last turn of the century."

"Pizza?" Rory suggested.

"I'll call."

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"We had a talk!"

"Hi, mom," Rory replied, abandoning the box that she'd been unpacking. She had gotten back from New York only an hour and a half ago and hadn't even had time to call her mother, not that it was a problem now. Her stuff was already moved in, probably Paris's doing as she was sharing a room with her again, but it was all in boxes.

"Hi, babe. How was New York?"

"It was great," Rory gushed. "I went to Soho and shopped, and read in real bohemian coffee shops and got CDs at the greatest places when I wasn't working. Speaking of which, working at a real newspaper was so fun. Did you see the story that I helped with?"

"Yes, I saw it when you called me," Lorelai assured her. They'd talked almost every day, or every other day. Rory hade told her all about it, but she still wanted to hear about her daughter's adventures in a real newspaper in New York. "Are you going to rub the Soho-slash-coffee thing in my face every time we talk?"

"Until I'm satisfied that you're jealous, yes." Rory sat down on her bed. "You mentioned a talk."

"Yes! A talk!" Lorelai exclaimed, pacing around her coffee table. "Luke and I had a talk."

"What kind?"

"A house talk," Lorelai told her proudly.

"Really? Where does this rank on the importance scale of talks?"

"Right about the children talk but below the marriage one."

"What came about from this talk?" Rory questioned.

"We decided that maybe we should move in together, which started a discussion as to where. I suggested Spain, but after Luke nixed that idea, we agreed on my house. Our house. Our house with Luke." Lorelai was smiling contently on the other side of the phone.

"So you just skipped the whole kid talk?"

"We're both on the same page with that one: no kids."

That surprised Rory. "Really?"

"Really," Lorelai confirmed. "Can you imagine Luke as a father? And don't mention Jess because he doesn't count. Plus, I worked hard to retain my figure and I'm getting too old for it."

"Mom!" Rory protested. "It's not like you're breaking the record for the world's oldest living person or anything, you're only thirty-eight."

"However, if I do have another kid, how do I know that I'll like it?" Lorelai countered.

"Mom!" Rory cried again.

"I'm just saying, you're a hard act to follow. How do I know that this one will be perfect like you? It could be ugly and dumb and disrespectful," Lorelai pointed out.

Rory sighed as the pounding began. "That's the door."

"Bye, hon. See you Friday?"

"Definitely. Bye." Rory hung up and went to open the door, passing by Paris's room. She was able to get the good room again. Stephanie was waiting on the other side expectantly. Without waiting for a greeting she breezed in, giving Rory a brief hug.

"Need help unpacking?"

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The two had been working for an hour, and were almost done, when Stephanie stood up and wiped invisible sweat off her brow. "I'm bored. How about we go get something to drink?"

Rory stood up also. "But it's not done," she protested, gesturing around.

Stephanie waved it off. "Could coffee, my treat," she tempted.

It took Rory all of a second to agree. "Coming, Paris?" she questioned to her roommate, who was sitting on the couch reading.

"Where?"

"For coffee."

Paris put her book down and shrugged. The three walked around, trying to find the closest coffee stand to the room. Ten minutes later they still hadn't found one and were gradually getting further and further away from the dorm room. Paris was telling Rory about the new guy she'd met (she and Doyle had broken it off again since Doyle had graduated), and Stephanie was looking around wildly.

"I've officially forgotten where your dorm is," she suddenly announced. "However, the good news is that I've found a coffee stand and we're near the boys' room."

When Rory did not answer enthusiastically, or at all, Stephanie looked back to find her friend staring over to the side with Paris looking on sympathetically. Following Rory's gaze, Stephanie found her to be staring at Finn and his new flavor making their way to second base against the wall. The realization dawned on her. "You totally had sex with Finn!"

Rory rotated her head so her gaze was turned onto Stephanie. "What? No!"

"Yes, you did. And you didn't tell me about it!"

"We didn't," Rory hissed. "Will you keep your voice down? All we did was make out. But Logan interrupted us. I'm surprised he didn't tell you."

"So am I," she absentmindedly replied. "Unless-"

"Unless what?" Paris demanded.

"Hold it, Tomb Raider, I'm getting to that. Unless he made him promise."

Rory and Paris were both clearly confused at this point, Rory more so at Paris' behavior until she remembered that Terence told her to take a more active role in her friends' lives. "What?"

Stephanie sighed. "It's a stupid rule we have: no dating each other's exes. That means nothing, friends only. If one of us does slip up, the rest of the group can't know for fear of hurting each other. It tends to get physical, and not in the good way."

"Why do I not find that surprising?" Paris muttered. "Always some sort of warped sense of chivalry with those four."

"Although I should have expected this," Stephanie mused. "He didn't mention you all summer, which was odd."

"So he's moved on?" Rory asked quietly, looking back once more at Finn.

"Oh, you actually liked him, how cute!" Stephanie cooed.

"Yes, it's been all cake and presents for the rest of us who've had to hear her go on about him." Paris rolled her eyes to emphasize her point.

"Remember what Terence told you," Rory reminded.

"He told me to take a more active role, he never said anything about snide comments," Paris snapped back.

"Rory, to answer your question," Stephanie started loudly, lowering her voice once she got both girls' attentions, "Finn has not moved on, he had just side-stepped and happened to have run into Tricia."

"Tricia?" Paris scoffed. "Is that a fake name, or did her parents want her to be a stripper?"

"Thank you," Rory whispered.

"I expect the same from you," Paris answered.

Stephanie glowered at Paris. "No, that is not her fake name. She happens to be my roommate, which means Finn will never be allowed in my dorm ever again. And the semester hasn't even started! That should be another rule."

"I-I think I'm gonna go," Rory decided, turning around.

"Too late." Stephanie grabbed her arm, spun her back around, and pointed. Colin was whispering something to Finn, who turned around also and smiled at them. He said something to Tricia, kissed her, and began to walk over to the girls as she left.

Rory stood in one place, torn between running the other way as fast as she could and staying where she was. She was so concentrated on the man advancing upon her that she didn't notice Colin lean against the wall and smirk at Stephanie, who blew a kiss in response. Paris, having caught the whole exchange, raised an eyebrow at Stephanie but didn't say anything as the scene unfolded in front of her.

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A/N2: How evil am I? By the way, who saw Tuesday's episode? Is it wrong that I would be more scared of the Gilmores than the Huntzbergers? Is it? But, seriously, Logan's neck is really freaking me out! And Alexis Bledel kisses very strangely. It's like she doesn't know how to kiss on screen. Logan didn't move his body when he kissed Rory, only his neck. Also, my sister and I decided that Logan must have some sort of mind control over Rory so she can't say anything negative about him EVER unless she's drunk. Also, I do like Logan, despite my rantings. Just, not with Rory. I also love his sister. I thought her name was Ana for the longest time and that they were just pronouncing it weird. But it's Honor. At least, I think it is.

**Pocahontas83**- Who doesn't love Finn? I don't like Marty. I never have. I just added him because I was bored, actually, and I wanted him to get all jealous from Tristan. I liked Dean until his hair got weird and he started creeping on Rory. Well, actually, Jess was also creeping on Rory, another reason I like him when he's not obsessing over Rory. I also thought of Marty as being hypocritical. And judgmental and all that jazz. You pictured it? Eep! Whoo! That rocks, btw. I've always liked Tristan because I love how asshole-ish he is. Then I realized, hey, you don't just come out of military school going, "Yeah, that was cool." So, long story short, he's nice(r) in my story. Ah, Colin and Stephanie. They're still together. Well, not together together because they never were together, but they're still friends. With benefits. Don't worry, we'll get to the whole love-triangle thing between them later. Also, it isn't tomorrow, but it's not a million years from tomorrow, and that's good right?

**Bookworms**- I'm probably going to e-mail you, like, 5 minutes from now (I got your e-mail. Can't wait to read it!), but I figured that I shouldn't e-mail this to your first because you've been so busy. And I want to post this. Haha. Okay, so, the shout-out was when Marty said that he changed minors to Music History, and I totally wrote that with your "music appreciation" project in mind, though I doubt you're going to like it because the last thing you want to be reminded of is that, haha.

**LandonLover**- Thank you. Yes, very alcohol induced. Well, not really, but I imagine Rory as a bit of a lightweight. Not Finn, but yeah, I think it would take a lot from him to pass out. Maybe that's just me. Haha, the quick update shocked me too. Finals? Aw, I'm sorry. Finals do suck. Haha. I also have lapses and forget what story I'm reading or (even worse) what I've put in my story. Eek! It's so bad. Marty is an idiot, but I don't like him. Stephanie is with Colin, but their friends (with benefits), so yeah.

**smile1**- I happen to think studying sucks even more than the actual exam, because you're stressed and tense and nervous about said exam, but then when the exam comes you go "Oh, ok, I know this." Or, if you're like me, you go, "Crap, I should have studied more." But I digress. I love that you love this story.

**ReeseAnn**- I love the old Zorro movies. I watch them on Disney channel late at night. They make me giggle. Romancing the Stone is hilarious; I love Kathleen Turner in it. I had no idea that she voiced Jessica Rabbit until, like, three or four months ago! Oh my god, you actually jumped? Hee! I'm giggling now and I didn't even see it!

**Agel15**- Hee. Like I've said, I'm evil and I love cliffhangers. Well, I like writing them. Reading them? Not so much. So I know where you're coming from.

**jmarit17**- It's hard not to love Finn or Finn/Rory. Logan had to walk in because I like to mess with the characters. Sorry no Colin that chapter, but there was in this one.

**rjs0123**- Baited breath? Color me lucky. Oh man, no problem about the review, your stories are totally worth it.

**TSOHoneyBaby**- I don't know a lot of people that do like him. Rory/Marty stories are rarer than PDLD ones, if that's possible. Everyone likes the ending. I wonder why…?

**Alicia Jo**- Okay, so, timeline. Between chapters 10 and 11, three months. In chapter 11, about a month. Thank you for the review!

More thank you's to **shadowcat15**, **Lovelock79**, **crissy**, **KeitaWolf**, **fairieangel**, and **Rory101**. You guys all rock!


	13. The Low Spark of HighHeeled Boys

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Traffic owns "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys."

A/N2: Sorry, sorry, I'm so incredibly sorry for the lack of update in over a month. I know, I know, this was one of my worse ones. I just felt so miserable, so overwhelmed by the sheer girth of the chapter, school, everything. I mean, and I still have three weeks left of this shit! My school gets out so late, later than ever, and this year has been really hard. Now, I'm not trying to give you a sob story, I'm just explaining my lack of update. But, it's here now.

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"Stephanie!" Finn greeted, kissing her on the cheek, something he'd picked up from their recent foray to Western Europe. "I simply love your roommate!"

"Which means?" Stephanie prompted.

"I'm dumping her tonight," he admitted.

She rolled her eyes at him. "School actually starts in two days, and already you've been banned from my room."

"It's called skill, love." He smirked at her.

She shook her head and changed the subject. "I trust you remember Rory and Paris."

Finn's eyes landed on Rory and he smiled. He gave her a kiss on the cheek also. "Of course I do."

Rory tried to remember how long it took her to get over him. She had finally admitted that maybe she liked him, but when she didn't see him again, it took her the rest of the summer to convince herself that they were just friends and the night had been a fluke. It figured that once she'd done that, he turned up again.

"And how were your summers?" Finn was asking. "Exhilarating?"

Paris kind of shrugged. "Unlike Rory, I had an actual internship at the hospital."

Finn nodded. "Internships. Always there." He turned toward Rory. "How was your job?"

"It was fun," she replied, exchanging a glance with Stephanie.

"Excellent."

"Thank you, Ted," Paris dead-panned.

"Paris, always a pleasure to talk to you," he told her.

Stephanie quirked an eyebrow. "Leaving?"

"Duty calls."

"The pub will still be there in fifteen minutes."

"Blasphemy!" he cried. "No it won't!"

"Keep the drinking to a minimum, I'm on probation from using my credit card as bail money," Stephanie warned.

"Shame," Finn sighed. "And as much as it pains me to, I must talk to you lovely ladies some other time."

They watched his retreating form- Rory in shock and Stephanie in amusement- until Stephanie commented, "That was nice and awkward. Who wants coffee?"

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Stephanie was awoken late Sunday morning by a pounding at the door. She groaned and rolled over to blindly grab a pillow, but ran into Colin instead. He, too, groaned and muttered something about stopping the jack-hammering. As the knocking became louder and more persistent, she realized that simply trying to ignore it wasn't going to make it stop. So she got up, grabbed the first articles of clothing she could- a pair of Colin's boxers and one of Logan's old sweaters she'd borrowed and never returned- and padded to the door. What she found was one of the most surprising things she'd ever seen.

Paris Gellar was standing there, looking as pissed as she could without actually spontaneously combusting. She brushed past Stephanie and spun on her heel so she could properly glare at her.

"Sure, come in," Stephanie said sarcastically, making a grand sweeping motion with her hand into the room as she shut the door.

Paris, never one to beat around the bush, immediately demanded, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I think I was trying to sleep, and now I'm trying to figure out exactly why you felt it necessary to wake me up at eleven on a Sunday. This is God's day," she whined.

"Cute," Paris sneered. "I was raised Jewish, and you don't go to church."

"Well argued," Stephanie conceded. "Is there any enlightenment in my future?"

"That depends, what are you do to Rory and Finn?"

"Oh, that 'what are you doing.' I'm going to get them together," Stephanie explained proudly.

"Odd way," Paris commented.

"If we did anything the normal way, we wouldn't have a whole society devoted to it," Stephanie pointed out.

Paris stared at her intently for a minute or so before finally asking, "What is your plan?"

Stephanie's face split into a wide grin. "Sit. I thought you'd never ask. My plan is to throw Finn and Rory together as much as possible. Funny things seem to happen when they're alone."

"That's it?" Paris replied doubtfully.

"That's it?" Stephanie echoed defensively. "This isn't exactly easy, you know. In case you haven't noticed, they're kinda freakin' avoiding each other!"

"Really? Thank you so much for clarifying that for me," came the dead-panned response.

"No need for biting sarcasm just it," Stephanie chastised condescendingly. She fixed herself a huge breakfast of four different types of cereal meshed together into a mixing bowl. "Are you in?"

"'In' what?" Paris replied suspiciously.

"In," Stephanie repeated. "In. In. In the game, the charade, the wager, the bet, in."

"What would Ken do?" Paris wondered aloud, leaning back against the couch.

"I'll give you time to think about it."

"Is there a special codename I should call you by when we're in public?" Paris questioned sarcastically.

"Just call me."

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Rory sat on the couch later that day and read her book without actually understanding it. To her, they were just words mashed together to form sentences. She only did that when she was troubled, and at the moment she had a definite problem by the name of Finn. The nerve of him, acting as if nothing happened, not that anything did happen. But if it did, how could he be so nonchalant about it? That was just absurd!

She was thrust back into reality by her cell phone. She shut her book, not really caring what page she was on, and managed to locate her phone before it stopped ringing.

"Hello?" she answered, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hello, love!" came the cheery response.

_Speak of the devil_, she thought wryly. "Hey, Finn. How are you?"

"I'm just spiffy, thank you for asking. And yourself?"

"I'm good."

"Excellent! Now that we have formalities out of the way, I have a question."

"An ulterior motive."

"No, a motive I didn't state right away," he corrected. "Kilometers of difference."

"In that case, shoot."

"Do you want to come over?"

That was blunt. Had he been talking to Paris lately? "Can you repeat that?"

He chuckled. "Can you come over? To talk? What were you thinking?"

"That," she automatically answered.

"I'm sure," he patronized, proceeding to give her directions to their dorm. "And Ror?"

"Yeah?"

"It'll be nice to talk to you again." With that he hung up, leaving Rory to make the next move.

Twenty minutes later, after much internal debate, Rory showed up outside of Finn's dorm. No sooner had she knocked on the door, Finn opened it up. He broke into a smile and gathering her into a hug, lifting her off her feet as he twirled her over the threshold. She smiled at him, and he grinned back. She held his gaze for a moment-he had such a deceivingly innocent air about him-until he signaled over her for the music to be turned down. 'My Sharona,' which had previously been assaulting her ears, was immediately dulled. She turned to face Logan, whom she hadn't noticed before.

"What is this?" she accused.

"Nothing," Finn replied innocently.

Logan made a face at him. "A meeting, Ace, to call a truce."

"Well, besides that," Finn conceded.

Logan pointed to the couch. "You should sit."

"This might take a while," Finn finished.

Rory did as they asked, eying them suspiciously the whole way. They sat side-by-side on the chair adjacent to her.

"So what exactly is going on?" she questioned.

"Well, it's like this," Finn began. "Something happened between us last year. Now, I'm not complaining, you're an excellent kisser."

She blushed. "Thank you."

"Finn," Logan hissed.

"Right, not the point. What I'm saying is that we're the only people that know about that."

"And we'd like to keep it that way," Logan added.

"I won't tell anyone," Rory promised. She figured now wasn't the best time to tell them that Paris, Lorelai, and Stephanie already knew. "Is there any reason we've just formed our own Ya-Ya Sisterhood?"

"You mean besides for Ashley Judd?" Logan muttered. Finn snickered and elbowed him.

"We feel that it is in our best interest that we all become best mates," Finn explained to her, quickly glancing down at his hand.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Rory began.

Finn cut her off. "Nonsense! It's brilliant." He lowered his voice. "That way when they find Logan's body, we won't be implicated by _CSI_: Yale."

"And when they find Finn missing his kidney in a Las Vegas bathtub filled with ice, we won't be investigated," Logan added.

Rory stared at the both of them as if they'd just told her the moon really was made out of cheese and they'd just ate it with salami on a cracker. "Have you two been experimenting again?"

Finn looked down right offended. "Bloody hell, no!"

"Finn's cute and all," Logan amended.

"As is Logan, but I prefer my partners with less appendages than me," Finn finished. "I'm not sure about Logan, however."

Logan rolled his eyes. "Do you accept our offer?" he questioned Rory.

Rory was thoroughly confused; she could read _Tropic of Cancer_, no problem, but she still had trouble keeping up the insane ramblings of these two. And this just proved her point that they weren't exactly in the right state of mind. "Your offer?" she repeated.

"Our offer!" Logan exclaimed. "Our offer of good will."

"Good tidings," Finn supplemented.

"Peace."

"Freedom, Beauty, Truth and Love!"

"Together, we can stop world hunger!" Logan cried.

"Not to mention the oil crisis."

"What do you say?"

"Are you in?"

"Or out?"

It was like watching a tennis match. They were talking at rapid speeds, playing off of each other, back and forth, back and forth. They completed each other's sentences and had quick-fire responses, a thing she'd never seen in them before, yet she found herself replying with a tentative, "Yes?"

"Brilliant!" Finn whopped. He smirked at Logan. "Told you she'd say yes."

"I know, I know, I owe you money," Logan grumbled.

"It's double, 'cause it only took us half the time that you said it would," Finn reminded him.

"You're way too good at this." Logan sighed and took out his wallet, peeling out bills and shoving them toward Finn.

He put them in his back pocket and turned his attention back to Rory. "Now for the rules, doll."

"Rules? I thought you were offering me your hands in friendship in good will and the end of world hunger."

"We are," Logan assured her.

"But there's rules," Finn added.

"Always rules in the business world."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this isn't a business transaction," Rory informed them.

"One rule, actually," Finn mused, tapping his finger against his chin, taking that time to stare at his hand.

"But it's a big rule," Logan told her.

"Formed right after Tristan smashed my windshield."

Rory's eyes widened. "He did what? When?"

Finn brushed off her question with a wave of her hand. "This was a while ago."

"He was mad," Logan offered.

"With good reason," Finn admitted proudly.

"Now you see that," Logan teased.

"I live to piss him off. Beside the point. Ror, the rule is this: friends don't date other friends' exes," Finn informed her.

"Which means you can't date Finn," Logan clarified. "Or, rather, Finn can't date you because he and I haven't ever dated."

"Yet."

Rory's eyes went impossibly wide. That's why they set this up? To tell her that? And why, exactly, did Finn keep looking at his hand? It was almost a compulsion; every twenty seconds or so and a quick glance down at his palm. But before she could say anything, Finn continued.

"Like I said, it started when I hooked up with one of Tris' exes at a party, minutes after they'd broken up."

"He found them, and there was property damage subsequently involved after that," Logan said. "Or how about that one time Colin went out with your ex?"

"Deliberately broke the rule to piss me off," Finn pointed out.

"It worked."

"Touché, Hunt, touché." He looked down at his palm swiftly. "What about when I went out with Colin's ex?"

"Isn't that why he went out with yours in the first place?"

"Oh yeah, huh. Well, besides the fact that he had to get four stitches."

"Do you still claim it was self-defense?" Logan teased.

"It was! He broke my bloody nose!"

Logan rolled his eyes. "We know, it was all you would talk about for a month and a half."

"With good reason. It hurt," Finn pouted. He glanced down at his hand yet again. "So you see darling, despite our tendencies to break it, we have this rule in place for a reason: it costs money and sometimes community service."

Logan got a goofy smile on his face. "It worked one time."

Finn's expression mirrored Logan's. "That's right, when Steph went out with Michelle for a week."

"That was well worth it."

As both boys paused to relive the memory, Rory took the opportunity to speak. "This is all well and good, but I don't want to date Finn."

Finn's face momentarily crumbled as she said that, but he quickly gained his composure. "Well then, pet, consider it a 'More You Know' fact."

"But we're still friends." She gave both of them a warm smile that they couldn't help but return.

"In that case, Ace, we're officially inviting you to a Back to School party next Saturday," Logan told her.

"I'll be there," she assured them.

"Smashing!" Finn cried. "As will I!"

"Now I have no reason not to go," she replied playfully.

"Naturally. It's hard to stay away from my raw prowess, I know." He struck a pose.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Fred Fairbrass."

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Around four in the afternoon, Paris picked up her cell phone. She'd been getting acquainted- by that, she meant 'interrogating'- with the new editor of the paper to ensure the column she wanted, and hated the interruption.

"What?" she snapped into the phone.

"Abort the mission, abort the plan, abort the whole damn thing."

"Who is this?"

"It's Stephanie, Paris."

"How did you get this number?" Paris demanded.

"Does that matter? We're done; they're friends now."

"Who?" Paris, already irritated by the unwelcome disturbance, was bordering on baffled due to the cryptic messages Stephanie was giving her, never mind how she got the number.

"Logan, Finn and Rory. They met this afternoon and decided to become friends, ruining our whole plans," Stephanie whined.

"No, we just need to come up with a better plan," Paris insisted.

"Face it, we're done. Why do you care, anyway? You don't like Finn or Logan."

"True, but Gellar's don't give up."

"How Tony Robbins of you."

"We'll just come up with a better plan," Paris insisted.

"Fine, but when it falls through, you'll only have yourself to blame."

"I'm planning it, we won't fail again."

"I'll trust you, Gellar. For now. But it'd better be a fucking spectacular plan," Stephanie warned.

Paris looked down at her watch. "As much as I love debating whether or not I can get something done, I really need to get back to the real world."

"Bye, Paris," Stephanie sing-songed.

Paris rolled her eyes and hung up, swiveling in her chair to face the new editor.

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A/N2: Thank yous! **Timi**, **Fanny**, **Gilmoregirl**, **Agel15**, **KeitaWolf**, **mystripedskirt**, **Bookworms**, **jmarit17**, **Pocahontas83**, **patrioticangel**, **princetongirl**, **coffee-addicted**, **cinemagal**, **honeyluv**, **megliz716**, **LandonLover**, **smile1**, **TSOHoneybaby**, **crissy**, **Alicia** **Jo**, **Steph**, **LoveLock79**. I'm sorry I can't answer you all individually right now, but next chapter, I swear. Thank you again!


	14. I Want You

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Elvis Costello owns "I Want You."

Inspiration: _I want you/Oh no my darling not with that clown/I want you_ ("I Want You" by Elvis Costello).

A/N: Okay, my finals are actually this week, and I didn't study last week like I should have, or even last weekend. So I'm going to make this short and sweet, as I really need to study, but I wanted to post this because I love you all that much! Haha. Hope you like it, it's longer than usual, so it's all good because I plan on hibernating for a week or so after my finals. The Inspiration is a new thing, but hopefully it'll help to justify some of my song choices for the song names. This goes with the end of the chapter, mostly. Anywho, have a nice time reading!

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The land swept by quickly outside of the car. It was drizzling slightly, and the windshield wipers would go off every few minutes. Not that Finn or Rory could hear them. Inside the car, the two inhabitants were listening to show tunes at full blast. Well, one show, actually; Finn's favorite play, _Avenue Q_. He was singing along and laughing.

Rory sighed and looked out of the passenger window. She and Finn were going to get videos and possibly candy. Logan, Stephanie, and Colin had already put in their requests for what they should watch on this dreary day, but the final decision was ultimately left up to Rory. Stephanie had suggested she and Finn go because they came up with the best movies.

Rory, Logan, and Finn had been friends for almost three months now, and it was going great. It was almost back to normal. Almost. There were awkward moments to be had, not to mention the fact that nothing would be completely normal again. But the three got along great together, and in the end that was all that mattered, right?

She honestly hadn't expected them to get this far. She suspected that something would happen, someone would get jealous, or someone would say something and the whole thing would blow up. But things had been calm, or as calm as being friends with four LDB members could be. Stephanie made sure people got along well and that nothing dramatic happened to upset their happiness. She was trying very hard to get Rory and Finn together as a couple, but Rory knew it would never work.

"What movies do you want?" Finn turned down the music and glanced at her expectantly.

She pondered this a moment. "I'm not sure. Maybe a dramatic movie. It seems like a dramatic day, doesn't it?"

"No, it seems like a musical day."

"How does it seem like a musical day? I didn't see Gene Kelly dancing around the light pole we just passed."

"Okay, no musicals, check. How about crazy foreign films, then we can translate the dialogue into what we want them to say."

"Too much work."

"It's not too much work to make up your own plot for _Run, Lola, Run_, especially with that German techno in the background."

"Like I said, too much work. How about we watch _Schindler's List_ and that one movie where Susan Sarandon's husband plays the convict?"

"Are you trying to make me cry?"

"If I say yes?"

"Then I'll cry," he told her seriously.

She laughed. "Okay, how about dramadies?"

"Crappy horror movies!" Finn yelled.

Rory thought about this a moment; this was probably the only thing that they'd be able to agree on. "Lead on."

"Excellent!" He parked the car and sprinted to Blockbusters. "I melt in the rain!"

Rory got there a bit slower, and by that time he'd already picked out two snacks and had made a bee-line for the horror section. "What do you have in mind?"

"_Manos the Hands of Fate_."

"That's not fair, we can't do it any better that _Mystery Science Theatre_ did it."

"Do you live to shoot down my exciting suggestions?"

"Yes, but I welcome the boring ones."

"How's about _Silence of the Lambs _– mostly because I like Jodi Foster better than what's her face who did the sequel – _North by Northwest_, _Rear Window_, and _Birds_?" he suggested. "That's always a classic."

"I thought we were doing crappy ones."

"I changed my mind."

"And I've changed mine. How about a Hitchcock day?"

Finn snickered. "You said –"

Rory rolled her eyes. "That's it, I'm driving back; you've obviously regressed to seventh grade and can't possibly drive."

"It's a funny name," he protested.

"Pick out another movie by him, and let's go."

"Feisty. I like it."

"Get _Psycho_ and let's go." She got her cell phone out of her bag, remembering that she couldn't hear her phone in the car so there was always the possibility of messages.

"What kind of snacks do you want?" Finn yelled at her from across the store.

"Everything!" she yelled back.

"Everything?"

"If it has sugar, bring it on." She dialed in her password to find that she had one message. It was a simple one from her mother:

"_Hey, babe, I've got some exciting news, call me when you get this_." Her mother giggled in the background and the message clicked off.

She quickly called the house, and Lorelai picked up after the second ring. "Guess what, guess what, guess what!"

"You're not wearing underwear today?"

"Close. I'm getting married!"

Rory nearly dropped the phone. "What? To who?"

"Bono!"

"You're joking."

"Yeah. It's Christian Bale."

"Mom!"

"No, I'm really getting married, hon. Luke proposed."

"When?" Rory was grinning ear to ear. The cashier was looking at her like she was crazy as she screamed into the phone out of excitement, but she didn't care.

"This morning, in bed."

"Ew, images."

"I'm just telling you how it happened," Lorelai defended. "So, we're in bed, and then he reaches into his drawer and takes out a ring and asks me to marry him."

"Aw!" Rory cooed.

"I'm getting married!"

"You're getting married! We have so much to do! I mean, the china patterns and the dress and the bridesmaids dresses and the food and the –"

"Will you be my maid of honor?" Lorelai interrupted.

"Of course!"

"Great. Then come home next weekend and we'll discuss the whole thing."

"What about you? Do you have to go?"

"Yeah, I should probably tell Sookie the good news."

"You haven't told Sookie?"

"Well, I wanted you to be the first to know."

"Mom, you didn't have to."

"I think the maid of honor has a right to know first."

"Are you going to tell Grandma and Grandpa?"

"I'll send them a singing telegram."

"Have you ever heard the phrase 'Don't shoot the messenger'?"

"Are you trying to tell me that they haven't?"

"It's a distinct possibility."

"Way to depress me on my engagement day."

"Sorry," Rory apologized. "Go tell Sookie now."

"Okay. I love you, babe."

"Love you, too." Then Lorelai hung up, and Rory slowly closed her phone. When she turned around, Finn – having already paid for the movies – was looking at her anxiously. She grinned and ran up to him, jumping into his arms.

"She's getting married."

"Your mum? To that Luke fellow?"

"Yes and yes."

"That's fan-bloody-tastic! I love weddings! They're always so festive, and someone always ends up crying in the broom closet."

"It'll probably be you this time, seeing as you have finally admitted your inner sensitivity to me," Rory teased, backing away from his grip.

"I'm going to make a mental note never to tell you anything ever again." He smirked at her. "I assume it's up to us to throw them an engagement party."

"If by 'us,' you mean 'me,' then yes, it's up to us."

Finn threw an arm around Rory's shoulders. "If it's up to you, it's up to us. How can you throw a party without us?"

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"Do you know what a fun word is?" Stephanie asked from her place on Rory's bed.

Rory didn't look up from her packing. "What?"

"'Bastion,'" Stephanie informed her.

"And why that particular word?"

"Because it rhymes with Sebastian."

"That's all?"

"And it's fun to say," she admitted.

"What are you doing reading the dictionary for anyway?" Rory questioned, opening her sock drawer.

"I couldn't find the phonebook," Stephanie quipped.

"And?" Rory prompted.

"I wanted to see how it defined all the dirty words," she replied somewhat sheepishly.

Rory rolled her eyes. "One of these days, I'm going to take you out for a whole girly day where we do girly things and talk about girly topics."

"Girly topics, huh? I've got a girly topic for you."

"Shoot."

Stephanie smirked. "A little birdy told me that you met a guy."

"And does this little birdy resemble my recently deceased roommate Paris?"

"Perhaps. So tell me everything!"

"There's nothing to tell that Paris hasn't already told you."

"She only told me that you went on a date with some guy. I'm talking details."

"There're no details to tell; we went out for coffee – once. No second date, no kiss goodbye, nothing."

"Why not?" she pressed.

"A multitude of reasons."

"And do these reasons begin with 'F' and end with 'inn?'"

Rory looked down intently at her suitcase. "No." After catching a look from Stephanie, she amended, "Maybe."

"So what? You're off doing the friend thing, so have a little fun until Finn gets his shit together," Stephanie suggested.

"Fun?" Rory repeated uncertainly.

"As in coming to the Aspens with us Wednesday for Thanksgiving," Stephanie clarified.

"You're inviting me to Colorado."

"That's what I said."

"I don't ski."

"So build snowmen, drink hot chocolate, and pelt us losers with snowballs. C'mon, it'll be fun! I need a girl with me, you said so yourself."

Rory relented. "I'll see what I can do."

Stephanie clapped her hands together gleefully. "Yay!"

"But for sanity's sake," Rory continued, "I'm telling people that you conned me into this."

"And I'll tell them I drugged you."

"How sweet."

"Shouldn't you be packing for your mom's house?"

"I was packing, but you kept pestering me about Jared," Rory argued.

"His name is Jared? As in Leto?"

"Not the same person, but the same first name."

"Is he cute?"

Rory groaned. "Steph!"

"He is!" she squealed. After seeing the look on her friend's face, she amended, "Letting it go."

"Thank you." Rory shut her suitcase and sat next to Stephanie on the bed. "I should probably be going."

"No problem. I'll buy you a ticket to Colorado."

"You don't have to do that," Rory protested.

"If it makes you feel better, I won't buy you a Christmas present."

Rory laughed. "You really want me to go, don't you?"

"Someone needs to protect me," Stephanie teased.

"Okay, get the ticket and I'll see you Monday."

"Sunday," Stephanie corrected.

"Sunday?" Rory echoed.

"Finn likes weddings. Too much, actually. He'll probably force us to wait for you to get back," Stephanie explained.

"Really?"

"No," Stephanie conceded. "I'm totally lying. But you will see us Sunday night."

"Baited breath, Steph."

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"I'm getting married!" Lorelai met her daughter in the middle of the Gilmore driveway, gathering her into a huge hug. Luke stood uncomfortably a few feet behind her.

"I know, I know!" Rory pulled away. "Lemme see the ring."

Lorelai thrust her hand out proudly. It was a platinum band with a tiny rose pattern interwoven. A 1.6 carat diamond was set in middle, glinting off the porch.

"It's so pretty," Rory breathed.

"Marilyn was right," Lorelai replied.

"When is she wrong?"

"Dating a Kennedy. Bad news."

Rory faced Luke. "What are you doing here?"

"Your grandmother decided that if I'm going to be a part of the family I need to start coming to Friday night dinners with you two," he answered.

"Mom, you actually told Grandma and Grandpa in a reasonable amount of time?"

"Monday night."

"No bloodshed, I assume, unless I missed the call from the hospital."

"They congratulated us and asked when the wedding was."

"And did you give them an answer?"

"Sometime between Jennifer Lopez's fourth wedding and Britney Spears' third."

"I'm sure they appreciated that."

"They did, subtly, in their own way."

"Glad to hear your humor gets some recognition."

"As is Colin Quinn." Lorelai wrapped an around Luke's waist. "You go first."

"Why me?" Rory complained.

"You're pretty and they like you better. And if they have, in fact, changed their minds you won't see it when your grandmother does her impression of Lizzie Borden."

"Lovely imagery, Mom," Rory replied sarcastically, ringing the doorbell.

"I thought I might help your appetite."

A blond maid opened the door and ushered them in, where Emily was standing right behind her.

"Couldn't have opened the door yourself, could you, Mom?" Lorelai asked.

"Stella needs to learn these things, Lorelai," Emily impatiently replied, indicating for the maid to take their coats.

"Stella? What happened to Inga, who was the maid here Monday?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Good heavens, that woman was incompetent. She couldn't remember a thing to save her life."

"Plus she was such a bitch," Lorelai added. "I saw her flip you the bird when your back was turned."

"Enough, Lorelai," Emily said wearily. She held her hand out for Luke to shake. "How wonderful to see you again, Luke. Business is going well?"

"Business is going just fine, Mrs. Gilmore. How are things going here?"

"Fine, just fine. And please, call me Emily. We're practically family now."

"Scary thought," Lorlelai muttered to Rory.

"Follow me to the living room for drinks. Now Luke, I couldn't help but notice that you still haven't traded in your tick for a more economic vehicle like Richard suggested."

Luke looked at Lorelai helplessly, who whispered, "Welcome to the family, babe," before starting a new subject.

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"Red or yellow?" Lorelai held up a picture of each bouquet to Rory.

"Red," Rory decided, picking up another cheese fry. They were in the diner because Lorelai had said she didn't want to keep Luke out of the loop.

"Really? You think so?" Lorelai put both pictures down. "I liked the yellow more."

"Honey, the white washes out the yellow," Ms. Patty informed her.

"Not if I wear a black dress."

Rory sighed. "We've been over this, you're not wearing a black dress."

"But it'll make me looks skinny," Lorelai whined.

"Sugar, you're already skinny. You've gotta wear white to show Luke what's he's marryin'," Babbette replied.

"I already know what I'm marrying." Luke refilled Lorelai's coffee cup as he said this.

Lorelai beamed up at him. "He loves me."

"Lucas Danes, who knew that under all that man you were such a romantic?" Ms. Patty looked him over appreciatively.

"Jeez," Luke muttered. "Can you take this somewhere else?" he asked Lorelai.

"So much for the love," she pouted.

"For the rest of the freak show? There never was any."

"We should probably go anyway," Ms. Patty said. "I have a class in five minutes."

"Morey and I are going to the Jazz Café in Hartford," Babbette added.

"See you tonight?" Lorelai asked Luke. He nodded and kissed her goodbye.

Rory grabbed the wedding binder. "Where to now?"

"Do you want to go shopping?" Lorelai suggested. "There's a great vintage boutique in Hartford with vintage clothes."

"What about the wedding plans? If it's in spring, we should start planning now."

"We've got a whole bunch of time to do that."

"You say that now," Rory warned.

"How about we shop now, plan tomorrow and next weekend?"

Rory paused. "I'm not coming home for Thanksgiving."

"Then where are you going?"

"Colorado."

"Colorado?" Lorelai echoed. "With who?"

"Stephanie invited me."

"So you're going with the Suicide Society." Lorelai quickly understood what was going on.

"Yeah. Are you mad?"

"No, no. You're young, you need to have fun. They do know that Gilmores don't partake in physical activity of any kind, correct?"

"Correct," Rory confirmed. "I already told her that I'm not skiing."

"At least I won't have to worry about you doing a Sonny Bono impression," Lorelai joked.

"Christmas and New Years is all yours," Rory assured her.

"Won't it be awkward? I mean, you and Finn, sharing a cabin?"

"Stephanie, Logan, Colin, and Tristan will be there also," Rory reasoned.

"Hawkeye's going to be there?"

"I would assume so."

"Well if Hawkeye's going to be there, I guess I can't worry too much."

"Look how your mood changes when I mention one person," Rory teased.

"I trust him," Lorelai admitted.

"Why do you trust Tristan? It's like trusting Phil Spector."

"It's nothing like trusting Phil Spector," Lorelai scoffed. "Tristan isn't crazy."

"That's to be debated."

"He's cute. Cute guys aren't crazy."

"Ew, Mom! He's dating Stephanie."

"No!" Lorelai exclaimed. "I thought she was dating Colin!"

"They're not exactly dating, but yes, they're still together."

Lorelai wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "You crazy kids and your college ways."

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The time that elapsed between then and Wednesday went by quickly. Rory turned in an article Tuesday afternoon, studied for a test the next day, and packed after said test. She was excited about the trip, mostly because it was her first time taking a trip somewhere remotely close to the west coast.

At 4:02 there was a knock on the door. Rory grabbed her bags and opened the door. Finn and Colin were leaning against either door frame. They each took her bags from her.

"Leaving?" Paris called from her bedroom.

"Yeah. Are you going to be okay?" Rory called back.

"I'm leaving for Austria at midnight." Paris was meeting her parents there. Her mother wanted them to be together for the first time in almost four years.

"Have fun."

"Very funny, Gilmore. I'll see you Monday."

Rory stepped out of the room and followed the boys to Colin's BMW. Finn crawled in back and pulled the seat back so Rory could sit up front. Colin pulled out of the parking lot and turned on the music. Rory almost immediately changed it to another station, though Colin was used to it by now.

"We'll hopefully arrive in Hartford in about forty minutes," Colin informed her.

"And they're already there?" Rory was talking about Stephanie and Logan, whom she hadn't seen all day.

"We hope so."

Rory relaxed in her seat, sinking back into the black leather. Finn reached through the headrest to massage her shoulders. She shut her eyes and instinctively leaned back to his touch.

"You're tense," he murmured in her ear.

"School."

"This'll be good for you."

Within thirty-seven minutes they were at the airport. But it wasn't as Rory expected; it was an airstrip with only five or six planes and a handful of helicopters. Colin parked the car and helped Rory out. They grabbed their bags and Rory looked at her companions in confusion. Finn grabbed her hand and led to a helicopter. Colin talked to the pilot, thought Rory couldn't hear anything; the noise of the engine overwhelmed her.

Finn's voice invaded her personal bubble. "We're going to the DuGrey airstrip. They have their own private one that we can't get to by car. They're waiting for us there."

"Why did Stephanie have to buy me a plane ticket, then?" Rory yelled back.

"The DuGreys aren't letting us use their plane out of the goodness of their hearts, you know."

Rory nodded and Colin beckoned them over. Since it was arranged by weight, Finn got in front and Rory and Colin got in back. Colin handed her a pair of earmuffs and put his own pair on.

Rory had never been in a helicopter before, so the jerky movements and loud sound unnerved her. Lucky for her, the ride only lasted fifteen minutes. The pilot dropped them off in front of a huge Lear jet with the words 'DuGrey Corporation' printed on the side in big, blue block lettering. Finn rested his hand on the small of Rory's back as they walked up the steps into the cabin of the plane.

"Finally decided to join us, I see," Logan teased, kicked back in a plush, leather chair.

"We were planning on hijacking the heli for our own personal use, but alas, we're lazy," Finn replied. He plopped himself down on Tristan's lap and grabbed his champagne flute, downing the whole thing in one gulp.

"Don't be a stranger, Ace, pull up a seat." Logan gestured around the plane.

"That's my line," Tristan snapped playfully. "Don't be a stranger, Mary, pull up a seat." He pushed Finn off his lap and rubbed his knees enticingly. "You can sit here if you can't find anywhere else."

Rory glanced at Stephanie, but the blonde's facial expression wasn't giving her up. "Maybe later, Tris, when you've gotten me drunk enough."

She put her stuff down and took a seat next to Colin. Stephanie passed out the champagne flutes and Tristan poured.

"To Colorado!" Tristan held his glass up.

"To Colorado!" the five chanted back.

"In Omnia Paratus!" Finn added.

"In Omnia Paratus!" Six glasses clinked together.

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Saturday night rolled around way too quickly for Rory's personal taste. She had already read – and in some cases, reread – five books while her companions skied. She preferred the warmth of the fire, but ventured out to make snow angels and snowmen, and to dance in the snow, one of her favorite past times.

Of course, most of the patrons thought she was crazy when she did this, but the sentiments of others rarely deterred her. They were staying at the prestigious St. Regis Resort where they had two adjoining rooms. Suites, actually; they had suites.

She didn't want to leave; it was relaxing, a place where hot chocolate was actually made my Swiss maids and her coffee was delivered to her personally by Juan Valdez. Plus, best of all, the powdery goodness known as snow was literally at her fingertips all weekend.

That night, Finn, Tristan, and Stephanie had decided to come back early to keep her company. They usually went out about eleven in the morning, came back for lunch an hour or two later, then went back out on the slopes, not to be seen again until dinner. This time, the three joined her around four.

So now they just sat around the coffee table in the boys' suite, drinking hot liquid (hot chocolate for Tristan and Stephanie, coffee for Rory, and hot chocolate laced with vodka for Finn) and eating the various amounts of snacks that had been provided for them by room service, who were eager to serve them after seeing Finn's platinum card.

"This has been fun, but I need to go get changed for dinner," Stephanie announced.

Finn looked down at his watch. "It's five-thirty, love."

"You can never be prepared too early." She got up and Tristan followed her.

"I think I'll help her," he told the two.

Rory sniggered once they disappeared behind the doors of the bedroom. "Who do they think they're fooling?"

Finn shook his head. "They're not even trying anymore." He took a handful to peanuts and dropped them into his mouth one-by-one.

Rory leaned back against the couch. "I don't want to go back."

"After seeing a place like this? I should hope not!"

She swatted his chest. "Be serious!"

"I am! The only place prettier is the Alps. Or Sonoma Valley. Or this great beach in Orange County the tourists haven't found yet 'cos they're all busy getting melanoma at Laguna."

"You've been to the Alps?"

"Would I lie?"

"You've been known to."

"Your lack of faith shocks and appalls me. And for your information, yes, I have."

"And Orange County?"

"My mum owns a house there."

"Right on the beach?"

"I don't know what Josh Schwartz has taught you, but not every house in Orange County is right on the beach. She lives 'bout half a mile from the beach."

Rory laughed. "I've never been to the west coast."

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you?" she dead-panned.

It was his turn to laugh. "I guess I'll have to take you then."

It was then that Colin walked through the door. "Hey, you two."

"Hey," was the distracted reply he got. He rolled his eyes when he saw Finn and Rory staring at each other in an almost love-struck way.

"I'm gonna go change."

"Have fun," Finn replied.

The sound of a door opening was heard first, followed by a gasp. Almost right after that, Colin growled, "You goddamn rat bastard!"

Realization dawned on Rory as she snapped out of her dreamy staring contest with Finn and back into reality. "Colin just –"

"Yup."

"And we just –?"

"Yup."

"And now –?"

"Yup."

"Oh," was the only thing Rory could come up with.

Finn was able to finish the thought for her. "Fuck."

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Thank yous to:

**Lovelock79**, **Emily**, **mystripedskirt**, **anon**, **princetongirl**, **d**, **crash&burn**, **Lisa**, **HappyNoodles**, **smile1**, **gilmoregirl**, **LandonLover**, **jmarit17**, **ReeseAnn**, **Rae**, **honeyluv**, **Bookworms**, **KeitaWolf**, **Bittersweetbloodbaby**, **PoeticAngel**.

A/N2: I'm sorry I can't answer you all personally, like I said, lots of studying to be had. Joy and jubilation.


	15. Bohemian Like You

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." "Bohemian Like You" is owned by The Dandy Warhols.

Inspiration: _I'm getting wise and I'm feeling so bohemian like you/It's you that I want so please/Just a casual, casual easy fling/Is it, it is for me_- "Bohemian Like You" by The Dandy Warhols.

A/N: I'm just glad that people like this story. So, yeah, it's taken a while to get this up, but it's been quiet on the home front, for once, so I've been relaxing, vacationing, recuperating from the trauma that is school, etc. It's been my fault, but I've had fun here. I got a job and everything. But I hope you like this chapter. It isn't as long as the last one, but I think the end suffices in doing just as good of a cliffhanger, haha. I've got you worried now, huh?

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Finn leapt to his feet, pulling Rory up with him as he did so. They sprinted to the bedroom, careful not to trip on any of the haphazard items that they'd been to lazy to pick up.

Colin was in the doorframe and Tristan was on the side of the bed; the two were glaring at each other. Stephanie was standing in the middle of the two, trying to calm them down. She and Tristan were both only in their underwear; Tristan in his boxers and Stephanie in matching bra and panties.

"Stephanie, take two large steps back and stay there," Colin told her dangerously.

"Um, that's an emphatic 'no,' Colin," she replied sardonically. "I'm not going to watch while you send him to the hospital."

"Then cover your eyes," he suggested.

Finn threw his arm around Colin's shoulders, pinning his arms to his side. "Let's talk about this as rational adults, mate."

Rory snuck past the two, grabbed the robe off the door and wrapped it around Stephanie. "Let's go."

Stephanie shook her head. "Again, no."

"Get dressed," Rory told Tristan. He nodded and began to search for his clothes.

Finn began to lead Colin out of the room, but at the last moment Colin wrenched out of his grip and tackled Tristan to the bed. "You son of a bitch!"

Tristan punched Colin in the nose and he rolled off him. Colin elbowed Tristan in the stomach and punched him in the jaw. Finn chose that time to jump in and pull Tristan away from the fray. In the process, he got kicked in the stomach. He hauled Tristan off of Colin and punched Colin when he tried to advance.

"Now both of you calm the bloody fuck down, or you will both be bloody killed!" Finn yelled. "Now, one of you just punched me in the stomach, and if nobody 'fesses up, you're both going to get a good, old-fashioned, Down Under arse-whupping that'll put Russell bloody Crowe to shame!"

Colin and Tristan both looked down like two chastised children. Colin's nose was freely flowing blood, clearly broken, and Tristan had a welt forming on the left side of his jaw. Neither of them seemed particularly inclined to tell him, but finally Tristan stepped forward.

"I appreciate your honesty, mate." Finn patted him on the shoulder, then punched him in the nose.

"Holy crap on a stick!" Tristan yelled, grabbing his now bleeding nose.

"Now you both have broken noses," Finn informed them. "We can take a fun trip to the ER when we've gotten to the bottom of this debacle. Colin, sit there" he pointed at a chair "and Tristan, sit on the bed. Now, I want you to tell Uncle Finn and Aunt Rory what's going here, besides the obvious that Stephanie is a whore."

"Thanks, Finn, love you too," Stephanie said sarcastically.

He winked at her. "No problem, babe."

Colin glared at Tristan. "It's just as it looks like; I walked in on Tristan and Stephanie together."

"'Cos you two didn't stop him," Tristan pointed out to Finn and Rory.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "They were probably too busy denying their sexual tension."

"Stephanie!" Rory hissed.

"Steph, stop it, you're embarrassing Rory," Finn scolded. "And we're talking about your predicament."

"I think they should fight it out," she suggested.

"I second that," Colin added.

"Is this how you feel all the time?" Stephanie whispered to Rory. "Because I like it."

Finn whistled to grab their attention. "Okay, morons, no fighting. That is left up solely to me and Logan. Now, we are going to talk this out like the calm, rational adults we pretend to be." Rory cleared her throat, and he amended, "'Cept for Rory, who is the sanest of us all."

"Whipped," Tristan muttered.

"Shut it, military boy, or I'm siccing Colin on you," Finn threatened. "Now where in the bloody hell is Logan?"

"He's flirting with a chick in the lobby," Colin replied.

"Ror, can you go get him?" Finn asked.

Rory nodded and quietly asked Stephanie, "Are you going to be okay?"

"With Colonel Mustard here? Yeah, I think I'll be fine. Such a take-charge man. You've caught a good one."

Rory blushed slightly. "He's not mine."

"Right, you've got Jared."

Rory rolled her eyes. "You're way too perky considering the situation. I'll be back."

"Now, children, we're gonna sit here quietly and reflect on what we've done until Rory gets back," Finn instructed.

It only took her a few minutes to get down to the lobby; she'd gotten the feel of the resort, and knew where everything was by then. Logan was off to the side laughing and talking with a brunette who only had to be about nineteen or twenty, at the most. Rory tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned to face her with a pleasant smile, but she could tell he was irritated at the interruption. "Yes, Ace?" he asked politely.

"We have a bit of a situation upstairs," she informed him. "Finn is requesting your presence."

"What kind of situation?" he inquired.

"The Tristan, Stephanie, and Colin kind."

He muttered an expletive and said goodbye to the girl. "I warned Tristan!" he growled in the elevator.

"And I warned Stephanie," Rory replied.

"Do they listen to us?"

"No."

Logan had his key out before the elevator doors even opened, and Rory had to take long strides to keep up with him. He cursed under his breath as he tried to open the door too quickly and it wouldn't let him in. He breathed in deeply and tried again, much to his success.

"Where are they?" he asked Rory.

"Bedroom."

Logan nodded and walked in. "The cavalry has arrived."

Finn turned and grinned at him. "Ladies and gentlemen, the ever-elusive, ever-late Logan Huntzberger."

Logan smirked and scanned the room; Tristan and Colin both had tissues in their noses, and Stephanie was examining her nails in boredom.

"So what's the damage?"

Finn cupped Colin's chin. "Contestant number one has a broken nose and possibly a black eye." He let go of Colin and did the same thing to Tristan. "Contestant number two also has a broken nose and a welt on his jaw."

Logan shook his head. "Are you trying to take the title of Most Fights away from me and Finn?" he asked Tristan and Colin.

"We like our title," Finn added. "Free health and dental care."

"I was with Stephanie first!" Colin told Tristan childishly.

"I actually asked her out, something you were too chicken to do," Tristan snapped back.

"Hey! No goading just yet!" Finn cried.

"I don't think they can talk this out," Rory piped up.

All four boys looked at her. "Do you not believe in my verbal communication skills?" Tristan teased.

"No," she retorted. "Nor do I believe in Colin's. But I do believe in Stephanie's ability to tell the truth no matter what, and her unwavering ability to choose."

"Rory!" Stephanie exclaimed in disbelief.

"Excellent idea, love." Finn chuckled. "So, Steph, choose: will it be Bachelor Number One, Bachelor Number Two, or will you choose what's behind door number three?"

"Is door number three both of them?" Steph asked hopefully.

Logan laughed. "Nice try; door number three is neither."

"It was worth a try," she muttered.

"And a very valiant effort at that," Finn agreed. "But, darling, you must choose. And our contestants cannot help sway her decision-making either way." He threw a glare at Tristan and Colin.

"I have to choose now? I don't get at least a little time to mull over my choice?" she asked.

Logan smirked. "Take all the time you need."

Stephanie shot him an icy glare. "Don't patronize me. You always do this!" Logan bit the inside of his cheek as she whined. "Don't laugh! You always belittle my life-changing decisions, like when I was choosing schools or cars." If she learned one thing from the boys, it was how to retain control of a situation; but as the control began to slip through her fingers, she panicked and had no choice but to fall back on her failsafe- childish antics and paranoid accusations.

"I'm not belittling you," Logan assured her. "I just made a comment, and you took it out of context."

"I took the comment just fine, you should just keep your stupid comments to yourself," she shot back.

From his place behind Stephanie, Finn rolled his eyes at Rory and Logan. And they called him dramatic.

"Love," Finn purred, stressing the middle letters, "no one here is belittling you, using double meanings to convey messages, or trying for a power grab. Now calm down and choose so we can go to dinner."

"No pressure," Tristan added sarcastically.

"Peanut gallery, what did the lady say about adding stupid comments?" Finn snapped playfully.

"I'm not going to come to a decision about this at the drop of a hat," Stephanie decided. "Why don't we just go to the hospital to get their noses fixed?"

"I'm in agreement," Colin said.

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"I guess I ruined dinner," Stephanie muttered. They were in the waiting room while Colin and Tristan got their noses put back into place.

"Stephanie," Logan sighed, wrapping an arm around her. "We know. But no one is blaming you out loud."

Stephanie pushed away from his. "Bastard."

"Sticks and stones."

She stood up. "I need some fresh air."

"You want coffee, love?" Finn asked Rory.

She nodded. "Sure. I think that I'm going to go talk to her."

Both boys just stared at her. "Are you sure that's wise?" Finn asked finally.

"Women do talk to each other," she patronized.

"Have fun," Logan mocked.

Rory found Stephanie outside stubbing a cigarette butt out and lighting another one. She was a stress smoker, as Logan put it, and had been trying to quit for years. She rarely lit up, but when she did, it wasn't in small doses.

"This is a disgusting habit," she murmured, taking another drag.

"I've never seen you like this," Rory commented.

"It's a rare occurrence, like that comet. But be aware, I do have vices. It's just –" she turned to face Rory, "Have you ever lost control? I don't mean your cool, but I mean of a situation you thought you had a firm grasp on. Because that's what happened tonight, and it scared me because I've always prided myself in my control; it's a trick I learned from the boys." She laughed wryly. "They're still better at it than me."

"Everyone looses control sometimes," Rory said quietly.

Stephanie dropped her cigarette and ground it with her toe. "I'm just one huge disappointment, and this is further proof."

"No, you're not," Rory protested.

"Um, sorry to burst your bubble, but have you met me?" Stephanie asked sarcastically. "I'm going back. I'll be gone by the time you guys get back to the room. I'll see you at school." She took out her cell phone and dialed information. "Don't tell the guys, I'll leave a note."

Rory nodded and said, "I'll see you there."

Stephanie didn't answer, having nothing more to say as she swam in self-pity, but gestured for Rory to go back inside. Rory did as she was asked, and found Logan quizzing Finn from an old Cosmo.

"Where's Stephanie?" Logan asked.

Rory sat down next to Finn and took a cup of coffee. "Still outside. She doesn't want to come in right away," she lied.

"It's a good thing we're at a hospital then," Finn joked. His companions gave him a look of confusion. "Pneumonia, idiots, she'll get it."

"I don't think she's going to be out there for much longer," Rory assured him.

"But unfortunately for us, we're going to be here for about another hour or so. I say we order in," Logan declared.

"I don't think we can order in at a hospital," Rory replied.

"You never know until you try, right?" He took out his cell phone. "If you can order in to a classroom, I think they'll deliver to a hospital waiting room."

Rory rolled her eyes and decided to talk to Finn. "What are you doing?"

"Taking a quiz. But I've taken it. Would you like me to quiz you? I'm sure knowing your lovemaking style will come in handy for me someday." He winked at her.

She blushed. "Sure, quiz me."

"Well, I wasn't expecting that, but I certainly encourage this turn of events," Finn answered honestly before asking her the first question.

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The boys were disheartened with they learned that Stephanie had already taken a plane back to Connecticut that night. Tristan and Colin weren't speaking, and Logan was still starving after learning that, in fact, take out wouldn't deliver to a hospital and that he should stop trying to take lessons from _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_.

Tristan slept on the couch in Rory's suite after not wanting to sleep in the same room as Colin, and the next day he awakened her at eight-thirty in the morning.

"You're living on the edge," she muttered, covering her eyes with a pillow.

"Wake up, wake up, get the fuck out of bed," he sang loudly and off-key.

She removed the pillow from her face to whack him in the side of the head with it. "Your plane doesn't leave for another four hours."

"Correction, Mary, it leaves in an hour," Tristan replied.

That got Rory out of bed. "But my clock says eight-thirty."

"That's correct, Mary, I'm glad you can read a clock," he teased.

"But that doesn't make any sense; I thought the plane left at twelve-thirty."

"I changed the flight plan; it is my plane, after all." He smirked at her and began rummaging through her drawers in an effort to help her pack. "We have to be quiet, not that they can hear us, but just in case."

Rory's sleep-addled brain began to process what Tristan was saying. "We're just going to leave them here."

"They have enough money to buy a ticket back. Or to buy an airplane back, which ever." He took her suitcase out of the closet and threw clothes in for her. "You don't mind if I pack your underwear for you, do you?"

She slammed the drawer closed. "I can pack for myself, thank you. Do I have enough time to shower, or must we hurry to meet your impossible standard that you couldn't have told me about last night?"

"Make it quick," he warned. "I'll pack everything but your unmentionables."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll be back. But one last thing, why me?"

"Because yours is the only presence that I can stand right now."

"I'm touched," she replied sarcastically.

"I know, but they have therapy for that."

"And they have group studies for you to join."

"You need coffee, stat!" Tristan barked as though he were on a hospital show.

"Do I also get breakfast on this schedule?"

"We get it on the plane."

"Fancy," she commented.

"I like to live in style."

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Six hours later, not including the time difference, Rory was back at Yale. It had actually been a pleasant flight back, including the amusement that was brought when she turned her cell phone back on to find that she had eleven messages, one from her mother, six from Finn, three from Logan, and one from Stephanie. Tristan had fourteen, mostly from the boys yelling at him when they realized what had happened.

The one from Stephanie was telling her to call her when she got back, so she did. "I'm back."

"I thought you were going to get back a few hours from now," Stephanie stated.

"Nice to hear from you, too," Rory answered sarcastically.

"No, no, I'm happy. Just confused."

"Tristan got us an earlier flight."

"Sans the Three Amigos, I assume."

"You assume correctly."

"That explains the babbling phone call from Finn."

"Or, at least, the most recent one?" Rory teased.

"True. So do you want to meet for coffee?"

"Sure. Where?"

"I'll meet you in the cafeteria."

"They don't have good coffee there."

"But it's warm, and you can just get coffee on the way there."

So Rory agreed, and fifteen minutes later she was in the cafeteria. She could usually spot the blond anywhere, so when she didn't see Stephanie right away she sat down at a table. Seconds later, a brunette got up and sat down across from her. Rory didn't even look up.

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Someone better than me?"

Rory looked up in shock. There was Stephanie, but the blonde hair that she was so proud of was dyed brown with a faint tint of red, and it was cut into a bob right under her chin. "Your hair . . . ."

"Do you like it? I woke up this morning and decided that I need to change my lifestyle, so I dyed my hair, went shopping, and decided to become a vegan," she told Rory, as though she were commenting on the weather.

"Wow," Rory managed.

"I know!" Stephanie gushed. "I'm feeling so much better already! I mean, I'm giving up all of my bad habits – sleeping around, smoking, drinking, and on top of that I'm going on the ultimate diet!"

"But why vegan?"

"They don't remove the insides of the animals surgically, you know," Stephanie informed her.

Rory had to ask the one question that was on her mind, "Is this your way of dealing with the Tristan/Colin situation?"

Stephanie laughed and waved it off with her hand. "I've made my choice – neither of them."

"This is certainly a change," Rory admitted. She was glad her friend was so happy, though.

"I know, but I think I can handle it. This, the shopping, and of course California will make everything better," Stephanie declared.

Rory sighed. What was with her friends' obsessions with California? "Are you going there over Christmas?"

"No," Stephanie stammered. Her demeanor became apologetic, and she sucked in a deep breath. "I'm transferring to Berkley for the last semester."

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Thank yous:

**Shadowcat15**- Mine is one of the ones you still read? I'm beyond honored! Thank you so much!

**beautifulending**- Finn/Rory could happen. Possibly. Hopefully. Haha.

**Arillia-K**- You were sick, and yet you still read this crap? Wow! Thank you!

**lkwREADer**- Logan is a jerk sometimes? Haha. More like most of the time. But I bet you can't tell where I stand on the Rory/Logan relationship, can you?

**LandonLover**- The ending to the chapter before this one is one of my favorites. I want Rory and Finn together to, but I need more leading up to it. And I like to tease the audience. Don't kill me.

**Teary-eyed angel**- You actually stayed up until 5:30 in the morning to read my story? Okay, it's official, I have the best reviewers. Ever.

**Self proclaimed genius**- I love your stories. Thought I should tell you that. And thank you for reviewing.

**Agel15**- I've never been too good at writing Luke and Lorelai, but I figured that I should have them get married, because they are the ultimate couple, haha.

**Pocahontas83**- It's okay. You reviewed now eh? Haha. I'm so sorry that you're busy. It sucks, I know, haha. Good luck with school, and your new job. Thank you for everything!

**Gilmoregirl**- My friends call me 'pineapple' because I'm brunette on the outside and blonde on the inside, haha. It's sad. But, yup, thank you for reviewing!

**Mystripedskirt**- Christian Bale. Holy crap on a stick. Christian Bale is the epitome of hot. Is there anything better than hot? Because he's that. And I'm still protesting against Britney Spears spawning, especially with Kevin F. I've never seen their show, but I've heard about the nose shots, and I don't think I can handle that, haha. Steph/Tristan…I'm just glad no one got confused and squicked out, haha. I've gotta have some OC name/place dropping. I've gotta give a shout-out to the homies… btw, I've never used the word 'homies' in my life before this. Haha. And, caffeine? In a word, awesome!

**Smile1**- Thank you, thank you, thank you.

**Poetic Angel**- Did you really like Luke's proposal? I never know if I can write him…he's so complex, haha! I love him, though. I really do. Thank you!

**NateBran**- Finals do suck, but I managed to pass with only one D, haha. Thank freakin' god. Thank you!

**KeitaWolf**- This is a first for me, because I'm my harshest critic, but I did like Rory and Finn's final conversation in the previous chapter. It made me giggle, and that's saying something! Haha. Thank you!

**Jmarit17**- J'adore Luke… Is that right? I don't take French. But seriously, I love Luke. He rules. Not as much as Finn, of course, but still. Haha. Logan falling off a cliff, eh? Interesting… very interesting. I'll have to take that into consideration… of course, I could pull a Fish Called Wanda and try to drop a safe on him… that would be interesting, haha. Thank you so much!

**Bittersweetbloodbaby**- Oh man, I hope you survived your essay-writing from hell. Haha. Sweetest story on the site? You rule. You deserve a statue and possibly a park named after you.

**Alicia Jo**- Eh, Colin comes off as a bit of a prick on the show, haha. But thank you! I always love your reviews!

**Bookworms**- YOU RULE MY WORLD!

**ReeseAnn**- Thank you, thank you!

Special thank yous to **absox**, **StreetRacinChiki**, **coffeeaddict14**, abbie, and of course **ETB4670**.


	16. Drunken Lullabies

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Flogging Molly owns "Drunken Lullabies."

Inspiration: _Cause we find ourselves in the same old mess/Singin' drunken lullabies-_Flogging Molly, "Drunken Lullabies."

A/N: I was unloading groceries today, and I saw a thing of Goldfish. On the label, along with the multitude of fish pictures, was a headline proclaiming, "Where's Finn?" In smaller letters, it said, "Find Finn, and you could win a prize." So, of course, I got really excited and searched high and low for that sexy Australian, and my prize(said sexy Australian). I never found him.

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Rory knew better than to be surprised when it came to her friends' rash behavior – living with Lorelai Gilmore, Queen of Whims, taught her to be prepared for anything – but she couldn't help but be shocked at Stephanie's latest revelation.

"You're doing what, again?" Rory asked. "Something crazy must have gotten lodged in my ear – for some reason I think that you just said that you're transferring to Berkeley for the last semester of your senior year in college."

"I am transferring to Berkeley," Stephanie confirmed.

Rory took a sip of her coffee. "Because that makes sense. Are you just going to avoid Tristan and Colin your whole life?"

"Not my whole life, just the parts after January."

"And you couldn't avoid them somewhere closer? Harvard, perhaps?"

"Well, that would defeat the purpose of traveling across the country to avoid them." Stephanie absentmindedly played with a ring on her thumb. "Besides, my dad is close friends with the Dean of Berkeley." She stopped fiddling with her ring and leaned in, as if to tell Rory a secret. "Wanna hear something funny?"

"Always."

"Berkeley was my first choice in colleges, but Logan convinced me to come here because he said he'd miss me and I'd have much more fun at Yale with him and Finn and Colin." She laughed wryly. "Guess who isn't having fun?"

"So you had a bad weekend. Guess what, everyone does. This isn't something you should, or can, run from. It'll get better," Rory assured her.

"Sorry, girly, you can't rationalize me out of this – I'm moving, goddamnit!" Her outburst elicited more than a few raised brows their direction, but Stephanie paid no attention. "I promise to be back by the end of the summer, at the latest. I just need to think things over. Besides, they have these miraculous things called cell phones: just a few buttons and you're actually talking to your friends."

"So that's what those newfangled contraptions are called," Rory deadpanned.

Stephanie giggled. "You are aware that you not only used the words 'newfangled' and 'contraption' in a sentence, but you did so without laughing, right?"

"It's a skill a whippersnapper like yourself could benefit in learning."

"Rory, is there something you're not telling me? Like how you're secretly eighty?"

"Yes, I am. The wonders of Botox strike again."

Stephanie leaned back in a futile attempt to crack her back. Her hair caught the light, the shimmering red standing out against the brown.

"How does it feel to be a brunette?" Rory asked.

"Weird," Stephanie admitted. "It'll take some getting used to, but I like it. It's funky."

Rory nodded. "So you're really moving."

"Really truly."

"Isn't there anything I can do to talk you out of it, short of the memory-wipe thing from that Jim Carrey movie?"

"'Fraid not. Can we change the subject? You're depressing me."

"I'm depressing you? I'm not the one moving."

"It's not fair to use my actions against me. New subject, please?"

"Fine, what do you want to talk about?"

"How about what you do for fun when you don't get drunk?" Stephanie suggested.

"For one, we don't get into car accidents."

"That was once!" Stephanie protested, before adding, "Recently."

"Us who don't have adjoining rooms with Robert Downey, Jr. at the Betty Ford Center still have fun without falling downstairs."

"Figuring out what happened is half the fun," Stephanie quipped.

"Says you."

"I do believe I've had enough experience to be an expert on the subject."

"That's not something to be boasting about and putting on your résumé."

"I think I can get away with being a professional drunk."

"Except you gave it up, as of today," Rory pointed out.

"Nice memory!" Stephanie marveled.

"It comes in handy sometimes."

"But I have a good memory too, so therefore I haven't forgotten that I wanted a subject change, and when I got that, I wanted to talk about what to do because I'm bored."

"We can watch a movie at my dorm. Paris isn't back yet."

"First, thank god, and second, you always say that!"

"And it's always fun."

"Do you have _Stir of Echoes_?"

"You're a Kevin Bacon freak too?"

"Are you saying there's something wrong with that?" Stephanie teased.

"I'm just asking; my mom loves Kevin Bacon."

"Your mom!" Stephanie suddenly exclaimed. "I totally forgot about her wedding!"

"How did you know she was going to invite you?"

"I'm psychic," Stephanie deadpanned.

"On that note, I think we should go back to my dorm."

"I'm honored you'd think of me that way, but I'm not Finn."

Rory rolled her eyes. "I really wish you'd stop acting like we're Heathcliff and Catherine. We're –"

"– Just friends," Stephanie mockingly replied. "Yes, I've read the banner, I've seen the t-shirt. But that doesn't mean you two aren't Sandy and Danny-ing it. Do you need a bad girl make over?"

"No. And don't suggest that we break out into elaborately choreographed dances, either."

"I bet Finn would dance," Stephanie pouted.

"Probably," Rory admitted with a small smile.

"You love him," Stephanie teased. "You two are going to have adorable children. And hopefully with accents."

"Do you also have my wedding planned out in your dream world?"

"You're wearing Vera Wang. And Finn is dressed as James Bond. But that's a totally different thing."

Rory rolled her eyes. "You're delusional."

"But it's a lot more fun here," Stephanie argued playfully. "So are we going back to your dorm or what? I can't keep arguing in circles about your obvious love for Finn."

"I'm choosing not to comment on that last one. But, yes, we are going."

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Halfway through _Stir of Echoes_, Rory suddenly paused the movie. Stephanie, who was curled up on the chair, shot Rory a quizzical look, but she just held up a finger. "I hear something."

"The sound of men working on the chain gang?" Stephanie questioned with no small amount of sarcasm.

Rory made a face. "No, but it does sound like singing."

Stephanie perked up at that. "Singing, you say?" She strained to hear what Rory was picking up. "That sounds like –"

"– _Avenue Q_," Rory finished with a grimace.

"They've found us!" Stephanie exclaimed. "Quick, I'll get in the entertainment center, and you get behind a curtain!"

The singing got closer by the second, until finally it was almost right outside the door. The girls could hear the words clearly as they were belted out, or rather slurred, by Finn. "_If you were gay, I'd shout 'hooray!' And here I'd stay, but I wouldn't get in your way_!"

It was like watching an old horror movie as the door knob turned slowly, and the door creaked as it swung open. Stephanie and Rory were motionless in their seats, stuck between dread and amusement. There stood Logan and Colin, with Finn on Logan's back carrying a bottle of Scotch.

"'Ello, shelias," Finn purred, his accent more pronounced as he slurred his greeting.

"What did you do?" Stephanie asked incredulously.

"We got in a couple hours ago, and hit the Pub," Logan informed her, grabbing Finn's hand and guiding the bottle toward his own mouth.

"So you decided to get slobbering drunk?" she shrieked.

"Luv, we don't slobber." Finn jumped down, giving Logan's cheek a peck, and sat down incredibly close to Rory. "That was a naughty thing you did, darling."

Rory blushed at his tone, and Finn threw his arm around her shoulder and, if possible, pulled her closer to him. Logan sat down on Stephanie's lap, and Colin walked behind her, leaning down so close to her ear that she could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"I don't blame you, Steph, Tristan is a very attractive specimen of the male species, and if I were a girl, or gay, I'd jump him. However, I don't think we should have sex anymore."

Stephanie exchanged a freaked out look with Rory, and replied uncertainly, "Really?"

"Really," he confirmed. "But I want to be friends. Do you want to be friends?"

"Yes, Colin, I do want to be friends," she answered as if he were a small child.

"Excellent." He removed himself from her personal bubble and flopped to the floor. "What're we watching, chicas?"

Logan took that opportunity to finally look at the TV screen. "Hey, it's on! Kevin Bacon! Does he dance?"

"No, he gets hypnotized," Rory told him.

"Close enough," Finn quipped.

By the time the movie was over, each guy was passed out. Finn was draped over Rory, Colin was curled up on the floor, and Logan's head was lolling on Stephanie's shoulder.

"We can either sleep here, or wait for Paris to get home and have her help us get them off of us," Rory suggested.

"I, for one, chose death," Stephanie dramatically replied.

"Well, in lieu of a lightening blot coming down and striking us where we sit, we're going to have to make a choice for when we want Paris to give us hell – tonight or tomorrow."

"When does she get home?"

"She should be here in about half an hour."

Stephanie nodded, and the two girls fell into a silence, until Rory almost whispered, "I'm going to miss this."

"Me, too, babe, but this is something I have to do."

"I still don't see why."

Stephanie sighed. "I can't explain it, really, and not to get all cheesy and melodramatic on you, but I just have to do it, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand."

"And when I get back, in the summer, we're going apartment hunting, okay?"

Rory's eyes widened. "Apartment hunting?"

"Well, duh, if we're going to be living in the same city, it would only make sense that we live together in the most stylish penthouse in Soho, where we can go shopping at thrift stores and eat at weird bohemian places and listen to poetry in offbeat coffee houses."

"But I can't afford to pay rent in Soho, even if it just partial rent," Rory protested.

"So I'll pay for it." Stephanie cut her off before she could argue. "And when you get enough money at that job of yours, you can start paying me back."

There was a slightly shorter lull in the conversation, and Rory asked, "When are you going to tell the boys?"

"I don't think I have to tell the boys anything, they're going to be living right next door to us, you know."

"I don't mean about New York, I mean about Berkeley."

"Oh. Berkeley. I was thinking about keeping a secret as long as possible, until the day before I move."

"And you honestly think that will work?"

"Not a chance in hell. But, hey, you can take my place on the Christmas trip to Italy!"

Rory shook her head. "I'm still not going on any trips over Christmas. I spend holidays with my mom."

"You didn't this holiday," Stephanie pointed out.

"Yes, that's because you wouldn't open up the pod doors until I agreed," Rory deadpanned.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't let you go without an answer, Rory," Stephanie replied in a monotone voice.

Rory giggled, and sighed. "Will you need help packing?"

"Naturally. I can't move all my shit across the US without at least an army of a hundred."

"Enlist the boys."

"I'll have to get them to talk to me first."

"That won't be hard."

"You'd be surprised," Stephanie said softly.

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Rory had already gone to class when Stephanie got up. She'd spent the night on the girl's floor, having extracted themselves from the boys, with Paris's help, of course (the blonde had taken pictures before she helped them, but that was beyond the point). Stephanie, being too lazy to go back to her dorm, had taken up temporary residence that night, and was now awoken with a crick in her back.

Rubbing her shoulders, she went into the living room to find the boys in the same positions they'd left them the night before, but both Paris and Rory were gone to class. Finn's classes were all scheduled for the afternoon, as were Colin's, and Logan and Stephanie didn't have theirs until eleven. It was nine-thirty.

Someone, most likely Rory, had been kind enough to leave out three bottles of water and an array of Advil on the coffee table, so Stephanie – gathering up her courage – picked up three and sat down next to Logan. She softly shook him.

"Logan," she whispered.

"Mmm?" he mumbled.

"Can you wake up?"

"Steph?"

"The one and only. I have Advil."

"'And it o'er and you won't get 'urt," he muttered, breaking up words as he did so.

She handed them the Advil and a bottle of water. He sat up to take them, wincing and pressing a hand to his head. "Why did I do that last night?"

"Boredom?" she suggested helpfully.

"Not funny." He finally began to focus on his surroundings, and who was waking him up. "Stephanie? Am I at Rory's dorm? You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do, just taking off like that. What the fuck were you thinking?"

"That I screwed up."

"Yeah, you did. But just leaving a note? Jesus, Stephanie, way to freak us out."

"Thanks for the support of confidence, Logan. Listen, can we go somewhere and talk?"

"Yeah, I think that'd be best."

Stephanie stood and helped Logan up. He put an arm around her shoulders for support, and she wrapped one around his waist. They barely walked outside when they were met by a blonde girl who had her chest stuck out too far.

"Remember me?" she asked Logan in an overly pout-y manner that made Stephanie roll her eyes.

"No," he answered truthfully, wincing at her peppy tone and loud voice.

"Come on, of course you do: you, me, a limo."

"Oh! No."

"Logan," the girl whined.

"Listen, bitch, the man's got a hangover, so why don't you go simper at someone else," Stephanie suggested with malice. She really wanted to tell Logan first, and having him hung over was even better; he'd think twice about yelling.

They went back to the boy's room, and Logan laid down on the couch with a cold compress over his forehead. "I suggest you start talking, Stephanie, starting with my questions."

"Actually, what I wanted to talk about was something a bit different."

"Oh? And do tell."

She sucked in a breath-this was harder than telling Rory. "Logan, I know you love me, and I love you, and I know you just want me to be happy, and I know you think that I make stupid decisions, which is partially the reason that I'm doing this."

"Please, Stephanie, stop rambling."

"I'm transferring to Berkeley."

"What?" Logan yelped, then visibly recoiled and pressed the cold compress further down on his forehead. "Run that by me again?"

"I'm transferring to Berkeley. It's just for the last semester, and it's only because I need to make a decision for myself. I need to get away from all of this. I didn't even want to come to Yale in the first place, but you wanted me to go here. You said it'd be fun, that I'd have more fun with you and the boys. But I want to do something for myself!" she ranted.

"So you're doing this because I'm forcing you to?"

"No, because I want to do something that will make me happy. Don't you want me to be happy?"

"Stephanie, you're one of my best friends. I don't want you to move across the country."

"Well, too bad, because I'm doing it. I'm getting away from Tristan and Colin."

"So that's why you're doing it? To get away from them? Taking the coward's way out?"

"If that makes me a coward, so be it. I can't stand to see them fighting, you know that. I just want them to get along."

"And dying your hair isn't enough? You hate me that much?"

"What? Logan, contrary to popular belief, the world does not revolve around you. I want to do something that will make me happy. Me. This is about me. I thought you of all people would be happy that I was doing this. That's why you were one of the first people to know."

"One of the first?" he echoed with a sneer.

"Well, I obviously told my dad - you know how good of friends he is with the Dean – I told Rory –"

"You told Rory before me?" Logan asked incredulously. "I can't believe you. I was actually thinking that maybe it was good that you told me first, but Rory?"

"What's wrong with that?" Stephanie challenged.

"You told my ex-girlfriend before me. I thought I had four people in the world I trusted above all people – you, Finn, Colin, and Tristan. Colin and Tristan can't stop fighting about you, you're moving, and Finn has a hard-on for my ex. Great. Fucking fantastic."

Stephanie felt the tears well up in her eyes, but she wouldn't cry, not in front of Logan goddamn Huntzberger. She knelt down next to him. "I may have been watching too many chick flicks, which is where this is probably coming from, but I'm going to miss you most of all. I'll be back in the summer, better than ever, and you, Colin, Finn, and Tristan are going to live next to me and Rory, and it'll all be better."

"Don't try that crying bullshit on me, _Stephanie _–" he spit out her name, "I've seen you do it too much."

"God, _Logan_, I thought I could trust you, that you would always be there for me. Remember the boy that used to let me spend the night in his room when I'd run away from home? The boy who'd kick any girl out his bed so I could sleep there? Whose mom and dad treated me like on of the family? Remember all those things we did together? What happened to him?"

Logan sighed, and looked at Stephanie in the eyes. They were friends, best friends even. "I'm sorry, Steph, I'm not mad at you. I really do want you to be happy. Here, actually. But if you must do that in California, be my guest. If you bring me back a California girl, the ones the Beach Boys sing about, even better."

She laughed. "I'll try, but I make no promises." She sat down and curled her legs under her.

He flicked her hair with a lazy finger. "What happened here?"

"I decided to change my hair color." Her hands suddenly went up to her head. "Do you hate it?"

"I thought you were all Miss Independent, I-don't-give-a-flying-fuck-what-Logan-thinks."

"Shut up," she pouted.

"No, I like it. Your fun is dwindling, though."

"Blondes don't have more fun," she argued.

"I beg to differ. Now the brunettes out number the blonds. It's up to me and Tristan to carry on the good fight."

She laughed. "You're so weird."

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Thank yous:

**Alenor**- Yes, I heart triangles. But I'm odd, so yeah. Haha. And Stephanie needed to be more than a foil. And I couldn't think of anything, so I wrote her out. And I'm totally kidding. She'll be back… haha. Thank you for reviewing!

**Tvgeek401**- You're making me blush! Hard to top? Have you been reading this? Haha. Thank you so, so much!

**Alias.of.me**- First of all, I love Alias. Second, up till 5:00? It's your kind of dedication that keeps me going. Thank you so much!

**MzFreak**- Welcome to PDLD land. We have cookies. And Australians. Haha. I'm reading your review again so I can review, and I'm giggling like I'm 12 again. And not just because you described Finn as "mad sexy"(great description, by the way). Thank you, thank you, thank you! As for the Stephanie/Tristan/Colin triangle, I always lean towards Tristan(Colin's kind of really an ass on the show), but he is cuter. And we always need a light-hearted triangle to make things, well, lighter. Okay, this is rambling, so, in all, thank you!

**Alicia Jo**- Excellent, one more person to join us, and we'll have a lynch mob for Colin! Hee, I'm kidding. But he is kind of, as I mentioned to MzFreak, an ass. And your right, all of Logan's friends, himself included, are exactly the same way. Le sigh. It's a good thing they're cute. But we all know Logan has neck issues, so maybe it's just Finn. Thank you!

**Agel15**- Stephanie will be back, don't worry. And I figured Finn of all people being the voice of reason was anvil-icious. Haha. Enough irony for you? I kid. But, all in all, thank you!

**Gilmoregirl**- You're probably back by now, so I hope you had fun on your vacation! But, hey, blondes are fun! It's good to be a blonde! They're rare. Thank you for reviewing!

**ReeseAnn**- My evil plan to keep you laughing has succeeded. I'm kidding, but that was seriously my favorite scene to write. Talk about fun! And I was debating on Finn picking up a phone as a weapon, but I figured that was a little too clichéd. Haha. Thank you for reviewing!

**PsychTnkrbll**- I love my twists. They keep reviewers pissed at me. I'm kidding, I hate it when they hate me. But, anywho, the wedding is coming up, and we all know how Rory likes to get inappropriate at her family's weddings! And this time I'm not kidding! Haha. Thank you for reviewing!

**Lovelock79**- I hope you had fun while out of town! I love going out of town…maybe that's just me, though, haha. Anywho, Rory/Finn is coming up really soon, if all goes to plan… I mean… you didn't hear any of that. Damn, I hate giving away the plot. But I'm too lazy to backspace. So, anywho, keep the info to yourself, and yeah. Thank you for reviewing!

**Mrs. Boyscout**- I always love people who give PDLD a chance because of my stories. It helps soothe my tiny, paranoid ego. Haha. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Gilmorefan31**- No more insane than she did in the actual show. Sorry, just the tiniest bit bitter. And distraught. Haha. Thank you for reviewing!

**Smile1**- You have the best way with words, the kind that make me giggle and blush. Thank you for your kind words!

**lkwREADer**- I love Tristan, he brings out the me. If that makes any sense. That probably doesn't. Well, if I identified to anybody on GG, it was probably closest to Tristan or Lorelai because I have the same sense of humor as them. That probably doesn't make any sense either. Well, in any case, I love Tristan. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

**Kylie1403**- Soon, very soon.

**Jmarit17**- The beginning was, by far, one of my favorite scenes to write, ever. I was giggling, even, and I never, ever laugh at my own work!(Mostly because I think it's crap, but that is so far beyond the point). Thank you for enjoying and reviewing!

**Crissy**- Stephanie has issues. Most of which I need to make better, because I want her to be a 3-deminsional character. Haha. Anywho, thank you for reviewing!

**LandonLover**- Don't worry, there was only 11 pages, my computer is odd and adds on another page when I'm 2/3 down with the previous page. It also doesn't do the … holy crap, it does make the arrow! Okay, the things I discover. Haha. I was always so jealous cause I thought it was my crappy computer that was shit… oh man. But, okay, thank you so much, again, for proof-reading my work. Thank you!

**Bookworms**- You know being cheesy makes me giggle like a maniac. Thank you so much!

More thank yous to **NateBran**, **Ariel**, **princetongirl**, **gilmoreaddict**, **Prue13**, and **bonny**. Thank you so much!


	17. Illegal Tender

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. New Order owns "Turn My Way." Louis XIV owns "Illegal Tender."

Inspiration- _It's a minor altercation/despite your hesitation/by all degrees/ that you will see/how we're causing quite a sensation_ -"Illegal Tender" by Louis XIV

A/N: I just started school today. Expect even less updates than usual, unless my theory of when I'm busy my muses attacked pans out…

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"I want you to do a favor me."

Rory groaned and regretted turning on her phone. She'd just finished one of her finals, three minutes out of the door, and had two hours until the next test. She planned on studying and getting coffee, possibly something to eat, but instead she got Stephanie calling her almost immediately, no formalities whatsoever.

"How do you know my schedule?"

"I've had a lot of free time lately."

"Between studying, packing, fighting, ignoring people, and transferring colleges?" Rory replied skeptically.

"You make a good point. But, c'mon, it's one tiny favor. Please? I'm sad. You don't want me to tell you my sob story again, do you?"

Rory sighed, knowing she couldn't argue with that; Finn and Colin were refusing to talk to her until she changed her mind, Tristan wasn't returning her phone calls, and Logan – though still talking to her – had a new girl that he was focusing most of his attention on. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Yay!" Stephanie cheered. "I'm in your dorm with coffee, meet me here."

Once again, Rory was left bewildered by Stephanie. "How did you get in?"

"I jimmied the lock," Stephanie told her. After a long pause, Stephanie started laughing. "I'm totally kidding. Paris let me in."

"One of these days you're going to say something like that and you're going to get the cops called on you," Rory warned.

"I know all the cops from here to New York," Stephanie informed her smugly.

"Then it's my sad duty to inform you that California is not between here and New York."

"What are the cops in California going to do? Beat me with their nightsticks?" Stephanie scoffed. "Please."

"If we've learned anything from the '90s, it's that the cops will walk," Rory pointed out.

"That's because they had Johnny Cochran defending them the first time."

"First of all, Johnny Cochran worked the OJ case, not the Rodney King one, who he'd be defending instead of the cops."

"No he wouldn't, he'd be defending the cops because he defends those that are guilty," Stephanie argued. "And the other thing we learned from the '90s is that you can get away with anything there!" She added gleefully.

"Is that what this is about? You're going to California to commit crimes?"

"Am I that transparent?"

"I'm almost to my dorm, so I'm going to hang up now."

"Do you have someone better to talk to than me?"

"Yes. Good-bye." Rory hung up and put her cell back into her purse. She was in her dorm within a matter of seconds. Stephanie was at the door, waiting with coffee.

"Can you sit?"

"This isn't going to be Jerry Springer-esque reveal, is it?"

"No, no, no, nothing like that. Like I said, I just need a favor before I leave for Berkeley."

"I'm all ears."

Stephanie took a deep breath. "I want you to go out on a date."

"Stephanie!" Rory groaned. "Not another one of those things!"

"What? I want you to become active in Yale."

"Excuse me?" Rory yelped.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Not like that, Mayor Gutter. I want you to meet more people. In fact, I have the perfect guy in mind."

"I don't do blind dates. I told you about that one time."

"Rory!" Stephanie whined. "You promised."

"That was before I realized what this 'favor' was. Besides, aren't you rooting for me and Finn?"

"I gave up. You two stubborn asses – yes, I called you an ass, deal with it – are taking too long and I'm bored. Besides, if you aren't rooting for you and Finn, then I'm not either." Stephanie grinned. "Finn isn't rooting either; he goes out every night."

"What?" Rory replied.

"You didn't think he'd sit around pining forever, did you? Boy needs to be laid almost every day, sometimes twice. His libido is considerably larger and needier than yours."

Rory sunk back into the couch, thinking. If Finn could go out every night, she could too, right? "Ok, who's the guy?"

Stephanie clapped her hands together. "I knew you'd come around! Okay, his name is Michael, his family owns a real estate business, and he's a LDB-er."

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Logan rolled over and ended up halfway on his companion, thus waking him up. His companion sighed in her sleep and turned her back to him. He got out of bed and put on a pair of boxers and his robe. What was her name again? It started with an M. Maggie? Margaret? No, it was Natalie. So maybe not an M, but he was close.

"Good morning, starshine, the world says 'hello,'" Colin deadpanned when Logan came out for breakfast.

Logan raised his middle finger towards Colin and took three donuts. "How was your night?"

"We played cards until she passed out, and no, that is not a metaphor," Colin grumbled.

"Where's Finn?"

"Still sleeping, probably. He had a busy night. Why?" Colin sat down across from Logan, propping his feet up on the table.

Logan leaned back and finished off his first donut. "I feel like spending my dear father's money. Those new Lotus' look nice. I think I'll buy one for each of us."

"Excellent, storytime. What'd he do this time?"

"Hw told me that he plans to send me to Texas when I graduate. Apparently, running the family business involves working in San Antonio."

"Everything's big in Texas," Colin pointed out.

Logan stared at him. "How is that helping?"

"It's not, I've just always wanted the perfect time to say that. How's pops going to react when he finds out that you only minored in business and actually majored in philosophy?"

"I think that when you said 'when,' you actually meant 'if.'"

"My mistake," Colin replied sarcastically. "I thought that you actually planned on standing up to your father."

"I am. Which is why we're going car shopping. And after that, I think I'll buy an island."

"Rebel."

"I'll name it after you."

"Smart rebel," Colin amended. "Saint Colin does have a ring to it, doesn't it?"

"No," Finn replied, emerging from his room. He handed Colin a hundred dollar bill. "I need French toast in fifteen minutes."

"What am I, your slave? Make it yourself."

"I prefer to think of you as my indentured servant," Finn corrected. "I can't make anything to save your life, and I promised Melissa breakfast in bed."

"Oh, you had the one with the M name," Logan exclaimed.

"Logan, mate, you gotta get your head checked out," Finn suggested sympathetically.

"Finn, focus," Colin commanded. "Why did you promise Melissa breakfast in bed?"

"Why do I do anything?"

"Okay, I'll make it, but you need to promise me one thing."

"Anything, Colin my dear."

"Next time, I get the hot one that can actually hold her liquor."

"Will do." He kissed Colin on the cheek. "I lo-o-ove you," he sang off-key.

"Yeah, yeah," Colin muttered, walking to the kitchen.

"What are you doing today?" Logan asked Finn.

"Not quite sure. I was thinking of avoiding Stephanie – you aren't helping, by the by – and possibly sleeping. Any particular reason you have a sudden interest in my daytime activities?"

"I'm going car shopping."

"Oh really? Am I going?"

"Why do you think I informed you?"

"I need a new car. I lost the Escalade to Robert in a poker game last week."

Logan rolled his eyes. "How about next time you play poker, you actually know how to play?"

"I do know how to play!" Finn defended. "If Dave Navarro can win all the time on Celebrity Poker Showdown, I can win against Robert."

"Dave Navarro has Carmen Electra for luck."

"Bloody bastard."

"So you're going?"

"Not really looking forward to missing it."

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"Are you sure I look good?" Rory asked Stephanie, smoothing down her skirt.

"You look fine," Stephanie assured her.

"What if he doesn't like me?"

"Then I'll beat his ass."

"You've got moxie, I'll give you that."

"It's a blessing and a curse, all wrapped up into one particularly pretty package."

"What's he like?" Rory asked abruptly.

"Brown hair, three siblings, smart, enjoys studying, the list goes one. You two have a lot in common," Stephanie assured her.

"So," Rory started out in a forcibly-casual voice, "Finn has lots of dates?"

Stephanie nodded sympathetically. "I shouldn't be telling you this, but it's a new girl almost every night."

"How do you know? I thought you and Finn weren't talking to each other."

"Logan and I have to talk about something other than the weather," Stephanie pointed out playfully, tucking a piece of loose hair behind Rory's ear.

There was a bright light, and when the spots subsided Rory saw her roommate standing in the doorway holding a camera. "Paris, what are you doing?"

"Taking pictures for my 'College Memories '07' scrapbook," Paris replied sarcastically.

"Paris," Rory warned.

"I got a new camera and I'm bored," Paris admitted, snapping a few more photos.

There was a knock on the door and Stephanie smiled at Rory encouragingly. "I'll get it."

Rory came out a couple of seconds later. Michael was standing in the doorway wearing khakis and a nice button-down shirt. He had brown eyes to go with his brown hair, a baby face, and was only about six feet tall.

"Rory, this is Michael," Stephanie introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Rory stuck her hand out.

"Likewise." He grasped her hand and Paris took another picture.

Rory let out a nervous giggle. "Excuse my roommate, she's just here."

Michael laughed also. "It's fine. The horror stories I could tell you about my roommates will leave you thanking every deity out there for yours." He gestured outside. "Shall we?"

Rory grabbed her coat and a scarf. "We shall. Bye!" she called to Stephanie and Paris.

"Have fun!" Stephanie told the two of them.

Michael led Rory out the door with his hand on the small of her back. Paris took yet another photo. Rory turned her head to glare at Paris before Stephanie shut the door. "I brought the e-mail address."

"The cable's in my room."

"Great. Let's get started."

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"Oh, Finny-boy!" Colin called to his roommate. Finn rolled off his bed and rubbed his eyes. The girl in his bed yawned and sat up.

"Go see what he wants."

"This'd better be good," Finn mumbled. "Where are you?"

"Computer," Colin answered. "My room."

"Porn?" Finn asked hopefully as he entered the room.

Colin turned in the chair and smirked. "Better." He got up. "See for yourself."

Finn looked at Colin strangely, but sat down. What he saw was a collage of pictures he could flip through with the mouse. The time-stamp was dated late last night.

"Who sent these to you?" he asked Colin in an overly-even tone when he was done. The last picture, the one of Rory kissing her date, was blown up on the screen.

"Three guesses."

"Bitch!" Finn exclaimed, kicking the desk.

"Hey, watch the wood," Colin joked in an attempt to cheer his friend up. He snickered at his own joke, and even Finn had to smile for a moment before he went back to pissed.

Finn jumped up. "I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her and dump her in a ditch in Tijuana."

Colin put a hand on his chest to stop him. "Whoa there, Tonto. No killing. Maiming, yes, but killing, no. Got that, Tarzan?"

"What's with all the yelling?" Both boys stopped at the sound of a female voice. Finn's latest girl was standing in the doorway looking annoyed and very hung-over.

"Just some pictures," Colin replied.

The girl squinted at the computer. "I don't get it. Must be a guy thing."

"Listen, hon, Finn's not playing nice right now. There's Advil in the kitchen, why don't you get some?" Colin suggested in a slightly patronizing manner. The girl happily agreed.

"Thanks, mate. That was Rory's dorm, correct?"

"I think at this point you'd know better than I would."

Finn threw Colin a look that clearly said 'Don't fuck with me right now.' Colin, completely unfazed, began to laugh. "What?" Finn snapped.

Colin threw his arm around his friend and began to lead him out of the room. "You, Phineas, are falling right into her trap."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You, my good friend –"

"For the love of puppies and Christmas, stop bloody talking like you're in a Nora Roberts book."

"Fine. But, to get to my point, you're so jealous that it's beyond funny. Bordering pathetic, actually, which is exactly what she wants."

"That conniving bitch," Finn corrected.

"That's more like it," Colin said condescendingly.

Finn was silent for a moment, then said, "I'm going to get a drink at the Pub."

"Okay. Say hi to Stephanie for me."

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"What?" Stephanie's roommate grumbled, throwing open the door. "I was just – oh, hi, Finn," she giggled, leaning against the doorframe.

"Why, hello there, love," Finn purred, completely forgetting her name. "I'd love for this to be a social call, but I rather urgently need to find Stephanie. Any idea where she is?"

"Oh, yeah, she's studying."

Finn frowned. "She can't read."

"Stephanie! Visitor!"

Stephanie came out of her room, her long skirt flowing around her feet as she walked. Upon spotting Finn, she gave him her most wicked smirk. "Get any interesting e-mails lately?"

"Actually, you sent it to Colin, which leads me to my question: why do you hate me?"

She almost faltered at his little boy voice, but steeled herself as she remembered why she was doing this and answered coolly, "I don't hate you."

"Then are you mad at me for getting mad at you?"

"No, your reasons make complete sense."

"Then why are you trying to make me jealous?"

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Trying?"

"Yes, trying. Because I'm not."

"Okay, Cleopatra, you aren't. But the pictures bothered you." She studied her nails and grinned up at Finn. "Just like it bothered Rory when I told her you sleep with a different girl each night."

"Pray tell, Stephanie, you did what?" Finn asked slowly.

She smirked again, eerily reminding Finn of Tristan, knowing that she'd finally ruffled his feathers. She may have been annoying him before, and she knew that it took a lot to piss him off, but she finally succeeded and that oddly pleased her. "You heard me just fine."

"You fucking bitch!" Finn exploded. "Why would you bloody do that? Are you really that miserable?"

"If truth be told, I'm just peachy. As for why I did that, think about it, Finn." She laughed as Finn realized why, exactly, she was trying to make him and Rory jealous. "For someone who picked up on the jealousy thing so quickly, I thought that you'd pick up on the reason just as easily."

"I hate you so much, but you're so damn tricky that I have no choice but to love you."

"Too contradictory for my tastes, but I'll take it."

He strode over to her and swept her up, spinning her around. "I've missed you! However, I'm still not talking to you. And Colin says hi."

"Tell him I say hi back. Guess I won't be talking to you later?"

"If you come back not knowing how to surf, expect a lynching."

"Duly noted. Now, I send you a motivational speech and my best wishes."

Finn nodded. "Continue."

"No, you gotta make up your own motivational speech and pretend I said it."

"Good enough for me, darling."

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Finn stood outside the door for some time, prepping himself for the person on the other side. He finally convinced himself to knock, after taking a swig or three from his flask and a deep breath, though not all at the same time.

"We need to talk," he began.

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Thank yous to: **eternalgorithm**, **Freakage**, **cheri**. **ETB4670**, **rorygilmore46**, **gilmoreaddict**, **lackinglime123**, **Agel15**, **Alenor**, **Emily**, **Gilmorefan31**, **Gilmoregirl7878**, **NateBran**, **Kylie1403**, and **princetongirl. **

**unknown redhead**- I'm not sure, I've never really given much thought about the whole Jess thing, but I'm pretty sure Liz would be there so she would make him go... hmm, I gotta start thinking about these things, haha.

**satelliteblues21**- First of all, I love your name for unknown reasons. An aussie, awesome. I want to live there when I get older. And Bon does live. I prefer him to the other one.

**crissy**- Finn and Rory will be together soon, promise. But yes, I do like the idea of them staying away to piss people off. It's so... great, actually. Haha.

**Lovelock79**- Hee hee! I like the way you think!

**Pocahontas83**- Hey! We've missed you around here! Yes, running away from one's problems seems like such a Gilmorian thing to do, so I thought I'd throw it in... I don't like Jess either... annoying little prick...I prefer Stephanie to Rory, which is sad but true, so I like Stephanie shining out. And it's totally okay, I know you've been busy, so take your time with reviewing. Talk to you later!

**KeitaWolf**- I love it when people take out sections of my writing! No, really, I do! It makes me feel special because they liked it so much! Thank you!

**Genevha**- Oh man, I'm all for laughing out loud like a huge idiot. I do it constantly. Thank you so much for your kind words, and especially saying that I'm funny. Man oh man, you're definitely going to feed my ego and I think I like it...haha. Thank you again!

**HappyNoddles**- Yup, she's really leaving. Thank you so much for reviewing!

**Poetic Angelica**- Thank you, thank you, a thousand thank yous! I know I e-mailed you back, but thank you so much for even considering my humble story!

**Brianna-London**- Welcome to the UC pairings. We welcome you, haha. I love it when people tell me that they love the dialogue. I work on it the most because I know that's a very important part of the show. And yes, it's so freggin' hard to jam in enough references, and I live in America! Haha. Anywho, thank you so much for taking time to review, it really means alot.

**tvgeek401**- I know, it's been over a month, please don't die. But, yeah, I don't really think anyone likes Dean, and I have a weird aversion to Jess. Thank you!

**ReeseAnn**- I'm warming up to Logan, mostly because I realize he'd be a much better character if he weren't associated with Rory... hell, I'd probably fall for his bullshit charm... sad, but true. Hee.

**LandonLover**- I learned the whole twists and turns before happiness thing from a favorite author of mine, a crossover writer that goes by the penname of Echo. She doesn't write on anymore, but I still read her stuff religiously, it's that good. And if you think my updates are bad... haha. But believe me when I say that they're worth it. I got the idea for the file name because I name files of whatever song I'm listening to at the moment... haha. Anywho, I started school today. I have a mixture of good and bad classes, but we have a new principal. Fascist. Zeig heil to the principal, seriously. They're cracking down on dress code, and this is going to sound slutty, but I suck at dress code! I can never find long enough shirts, so they always ride up... haha. Tell-all. Anywho, thank you so much for everything! I'm glad to hear the hurricane didn't hit where you are!

**smile1**- I read your review, oh, a couple hundred times. I think I've told you this, but I'm going to tell you again: I loved your review. You even inspired a new story that will be coming out soon, if I ever get it up, about how Stephanie/Logan met... I prefer them as friends, as you do, and that'll be all about them... it's going to be M, haha.

**lkwREADer**- Hey! I'm doing pretty well, thanks for asking. And yourself? I love that Rory/Finn is a guilty pleasure for you, and I honestly don't know why, but thank you for reading and reviewing!

**Mrs. Boyscout**- Hey, someone actually does read my insane A/Ns! Haha. Seriously, I was looking for Finn... stupid goldfish, tricking me... haha. And everyone loved Logan's line... it was a 1am inspiration thing.

**Ash-the-great**- I left you speechless? The color just drained from my face, seriously... I can't believe it! You make me feel so great! Thank you! Oh my god! Thank you! And this is going to sound beyond stupid, but what are the Golden Twinkie Awards? I'm a bit slow on the uptake, haha...

**ElvenPrincess01**- Oh man, the plan. Was it good? It sucked, didn't it? I hope it didn't completely fail... you'll be completely honest with me, right? I can take it... and thank you so much for reviewing!

**MzFreak**- Accents are 3/4 of the reason I like Jude Law.. because, from what I've heard, he's not packing much down under, and that's a downer, no pun intended... haha. I love Stephanie. She's so the anti-thesis of me, which is probably why I adore her so much... Don't worry, it didn't sound stupid. Thank you for your kind words!

**Bittersweetbloodbaby**- Luke/Lorelai levels? I doubt that... thank you so much! Man, I love tension! It's so... great, actually, haha. and you probably think I'm insane know, but you know why I'm torturing you all now...

**jmarit**- I love writing Logan and Stephanie, especially when they're talking about other people, because then I can be as mean or as nice as I want, haha.

**Alicia Jo**- Logan is an ass, with a creepy neck, but I love him all the same. I think I mentioned this somewhere, but I'm pretty sure I'd love him if he weren't with Rory. Just like I liked Jess in season 4 and... well, I don't like Dean, but yeah... haha.

**Bookworms**- Read it somewhere? Plagiarism! Theft! Call the Constable! Alert the Fire Brigade!


	18. The Way We Get By

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

Inspiration- _That's the way we get by/To where we get by alright/That's the way we get by/To where we get by_- "The Way We Get By" by Spoon

A/N: Has it been long enough? Really? I know, I know, but you know what? I don't write when I'm depressed, and I was really depressed during September, and then it took me all of October to write this. I wanted to get it up, and my beta lives in Florida, so yeah. It's probably grammatically incorrect, but whatever. I wanted it up. So, there you have it. And special props to **Agel15** and **Gilmore7878**, who are the only ones who know how my mind works.

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"About what?" Logan leaned back and laced his fingers together behind his head. "You're not breaking up with me, are you? My heart couldn't take it."

Finn laughed. "Nothing that drastic. I actually wanted to talk about the whole Rory situation."

Logan's warm demeanor went cold and his posture became frigid. Finn was sure one poke would reduce him to a pile of ice. "There is no Rory situation."

"Yes, there is. Now, I know I seem like a complete pansy coming here and asking for your bloody permission to ask her out, but I kind of love you."

"You're drunk."

"Am not!" Finn shot back. He paused, then said, "Maybe a little. But that's not under discussion at this point."

"I think you just want to prove something."

"My god, you're high!"

"I am not! You're drunk!"

"I think you're still hung up on her. Been spending a bit more time in the bathroom, eh?"

Logan groaned. "Now I know you're drunk. Are you trying to punish me for sleeping with Carly?"

"No, I'm- you slept with Carly? You arsehat!"

"You didn't know? I thought that was why you broke up with her."

"That's it! I'm going to ask Rory out right now," Finn declared.

"You're pathetic."

"In fact, I'm going to shag her bloody brains out. She seems like a screamer, good set of lungs."

"Of course, I'd know and you never will."

"Fine! I'm going!"

Logan smirked and watched as Finn stalked off, slamming the door behind him. It had been less than twenty-five seconds before he was back in the room.

"I heard make up sex is the best."

Logan laughed loudly. "I think you're right. Why aren't you, and I quote, 'shagging her bloody brains out' right now?"

"Because I like you more-you buy me pretty things."

"I take it you're not breaking up with me."

"Not this time. You're stuck with me for a little bit longer, babe."

Finn laid down on Logan's bed and wiggled his butt to get more comfortable. Logan, still in his desk chair, propped his feet up on his bed and took a box of pop-tarts out of his drawer.

"Have you been hording the pop-tarts, mate?" Finn asked suspiciously.

"Obviously, but it's only because I but them and you and Colin eat them all before I have a chance."

"You act like that's our entire fault." He took the packet Logan offered him. "How I've missed thee," he told the pop-tarts.

Logan broke off a piece of his pop-tart. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you ask my permission?"

Finn shrugged nonchalantly. "I love you more than I like her."

"You what?"

"I like her, mate. You'll get over it," Finn assured him.

"You do know who she is, right?"

"If my memory serves correct, which it rarely does, her name is Rory-short for Lorelai. Goes to Yale, granddaughter of Emily and Richard. Have I left anything out?"

"Yeah, her last boyfriend."

"Mate, if you don't get over this jealousy thing, I'm gonna start to think that you've made a hand puppet replica of her."

"Very nice," Logan commented sardonically. "I spend less time than you. Rosie, right?"

"I don't need to."

"Oh, right, your new affinity for brunettes."

Finn jutted out his bottom lip. "Why do we fight?" He asked, adopting a bad southern accent.

Logan laughed. "Because 'fight' and 'fuck' start with the same letter."

"Kinky, Huntzberger, I didn't know you had it in you."

"Oh, I've got it in me." He winked.

"Dirty!" Finn exclaimed.

"Speaking of which, are you going to Lorelai's wedding?"

"Wedding? When is it again?"

"April, I think."

"Excellent! I'll mark it on my calendar!"

"Bringing a date?"

"One would hope so. You available?"

Logan smirked. "I'm already going with Colin."

"Lucky bastard."

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"Which would you prefer: Pepto-Bismol Pink or Someone-Threw-Up Orange?" Lorelai asked Rory.

"Where's Sookie for this decision?"

"She already picked Pepto-Bismol Pink. With a bow! Think Rachel in Friends."

"How about periwinkle?"

"Or paisley!"

"Or blue."

"With a bow on the butt?"

"Of course."

"You're being awfully complacent for someone who's soon going to look like an extra in a bad '80s movie."

"I had a date."

"You've been holding out on me! Your own mother! How could you do this to me?" Lorelai cried melodramatically.

"His name is Michael. He's smart, he's charming, and he's seen _Mr. Show with Bob and David_."

"Did you just happen to find the most perfect man ever, or did you make him?"

"It was a blind date, actually."

"But you don't do blind dates."

"I may have to change my policy."

"Are you going on another date?"

"Yeah, tomorrow." Rory ducked her head slightly and blushed.

"I knew you'd find someone better than those jerks you hang out with!"

"Mom!"

"Oh, it's true. Sure, they're charming and polite, but do they know who David Cross is? I think not!"

"Not everybody has seen Mr. Show."

"And those are the people that are going to get the public floggings first."

"What did I tell you about public floggings?"

"Leave them up to Taylor?"

"Not funny." Rory's cell phone began to ring and she quickly dug it out of her purse. "I'll be right back. Try not to pick out anything too ugly."

"Don't worry, whatever I pick out will be just ugly enough."

"Hello?" Rory asked once she got outside of the little boutique.

"Jimmy's Ass Meats, pick up or delivery?"

"What? Finn?"

"Pick up or delivery?" he repeated. "I'd go with delivery."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm five minutes outta Hartford, love, meet me for lunch."

"It's almost four," she pointed out.

"For mid-Afternoon snacks then, Pastis in ten minutes, say?"

"I'm just having trouble comprehending how you know where I am."

"Paris told me when I went to see you. Everything thinks she's a bitch, but once you get past the exterior, you find out that she's a bitch masquerading as a scared little girl."

Rory laughed. "Sorry about that."

"Don't, she's sweet."

"You're delusional."

"Very possibly. So you're joining me?"

"I'm with my mom."

"Then invite her, it'll be a party- the more the merrier, eh, love? But I need to talk to you afterwards."

"About what?"

"Afterwards," he answered cryptically before hanging up on a baffled Rory.

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"Distractions, how I love thee," Lorelai murmured to her coffee at the restaurant Finn had picked. Rory was in the restroom, leaving Finn and Lorelai alone.

"How're the wedding planning going, Lor?" Finn asked, twirling the straw around in his rum and coke.

"You'll have to tell me when you come. You are going, right?" Her eyes laughed as she looked at him.

"Colin, Logan, Tristan and I are going and we're going to look dapper, if I do say so myself."

"Dapper? That's quite a lofty expectation you have. But if any of you look like Cary Grant, I'm going to have to say a job well done. You won't outshine Luke, however."

"We weren't trying, but we might have to now."

"Then I'm going to have to have security escort you out."

"Security? At your wedding?"

"It could happen. Besides, we live in a small, weird town. Taylor has security."

"Taylor needs security for himself if he keeps up that bloody Nurse Ratched impression of his."

Lorelai laughed and finished off her coffee, signaling to the waitress to bring her more. "You went to all of this trouble to bring Rory and I out for a drink, huh? Out of the goodness of your heart?"

"Okay, enough with the third degree!" Finn cried. "I admit it- I'm here to steal you away from Luke."

"That's where you're mistaken; that honor belongs to the one and only Jon Stewart. Try again, Don Juan."

"So I am the Don Juan."

"As in De Marco. You know, the delusional one. Speaking of delusions, I love my daughter, but she lives in a naïve world sometimes, and I would like to know your intentions with her before she comes back from the bathroom and I leave."

"They're the same as Logan's were," he assured her.

"You see, that doesn't comfort me because I only tolerated Logan for her sake. You, I actually like. For starters, my parents hate you, and that can only mean good things."

"I still maintain that it wasn't my fault. And if the maid hadn't caught me-"

"-You'd have no chance with Rory because I'd hate you," Lorelai finished for him. "Besides, that's what you get for sneaking into the pool house to do God knows what with that redhead."

"We were going to play Scrabble," he deadpanned.

"Who's playing Scrabble?" asked Rory, fresh from the bathroom. She was standing behind Finn with a puzzled expression on her face.

"No one," Finn replied smoothly, standing up to greet her.

"Okay, babe, I'd love to stay here and chat about college things with you, but unfortunately I have a date with Luke and I need to get back to the Hollow in plenty of time to make him wait in our exquisite little home," Lorelai informed Rory.

"Bye, mom." Rory gave her mom a kiss.

"Finn. See you later."

"Love, I haven't talked to you in a while. How're things in your world?"

"Better than _Tommyland_," she replied.

"Everything is better than _Tommyland_, but then again the man has serious plans. If you can't keep Pam Anderson as a girlfriend, then you have issues."

Rory laughed and drank the coffee her mother had abandoned. "Are you talking to Stephanie again?"

Finn thought back to earlier in the day, but decided not to tell Rory about that. "I talked to her briefly. She's still moving, but she promised to learn how to surf so I have someone to go with me. Logan's a big chicken when it comes to that."

"You surf?"

"What do you think I did in Sydney? Hunted crocodiles? Worked in a theater?"

"I guess that was a stupid question."

"I know. You just ask a whole bunch of stupid questions," he teased.

"Oh, like you don't," she challenged.

"I never said that. You're putting words in my mouth that don't belong there. My mouth is reserved for other things," he purred.

She blushed. "But you do ask stupid questions."

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll say it: I ask just as many stupid questions as the lovely Rory Gilmore."

"Thank you, Finn."

"Speaking of stupid questions, I have one for you."

"Speak."

"Speak? What am I, your bloody dog?"

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. So, back to my question. Would you like to go out with me sometime?" Finn couldn't believe how easy it was to say that. He hadn't formally asked someone out on a date in years. Here he was freaking out over nothing.

Rory froze. Had he really asked that? He couldn't of. And yet there he was, waiting for her to answer. The seconds ticked by and tension got thicker and all she could do was sit there. "I can't," she finally answered.

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A/N2: When you review me telling me how much you hate it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Thank yous:

**LorelaiLoriHuntzberger**, **Emily**, **emik**, **Hylle**, **StreetRacinChiki**, **ETB4670**, **desi**, **misswildfire**, **imaslacker**, **princetongirl**, **RavenEcho**, **eternalgorithm**, **WhoisBrett**, **lackinglime123**, **Maran-DUH**, and **Gilmorefan31**

**rose217**- No, I'm actually 16. Shocking, I know. Haha. I honestly don't know why I'm so good at dialogue. That's what everybody says. I don't get it. But anywho, thank you for your review, it made me smile!

**Cherie-Cola**- I have to say, I like this name a lot. It's so... awesome. UC pairings are pretty spiffy, so I'm so glad that I got you hooked on them. Thank you for reviewing!

**Agel15**- Whoa, serious points to you! I love Stephanie. She's just too cool. And conniving! And I wrote her like that, so the way I'm acting surprised is kinda weird, but whatever. Thank you!

**Bookworms**- Oh man, I'm reading your review again and I understand about nothing. Haha. Three books in one week? Damn! Oh, shit. Speaking of which, I gotta read two books this week.. damn. Thanks!

**satelliteblues21**- Heck yes, I do. I heart AC/DC. But my newest favorite song by them, the one I've been listening to most recently, anyway, is "Night Prowler." I heart that song. Thank you for your review!

**Pocahontas83**- Don't worry, it's our little secret. Anywho, I hate writer's block. It's what's been keeping this crappy chapter so long. And don't worry, I only took two months, so I consider that a vast improvement, haha. I heart cliffhangers. They're my way of pissing off the reviewers. Because I'm mean like that.

**chelle04**- I actually just came up with the first romance-book novelist that came to mind, because I'm too lazy to look up any authors that may actually fit.

**gilmoreaddict**- Sorry to disappoint.

**KeitaWolf**- I was actually wishing Colin's name was Simon, so I could throw a Shins joke in there, but alas, the writers do not think the same way I do. I'm glad you liked that piece, I love writing the boys together. They're so... entertaining to write. And I'd love to live ON Finn, if you get my drift... I hope you do, but not everyone has a dirty mind like mine.

**LandonLover**- For the Tiajuana thing, I constantly tell people that, except I throw Christopher Walken in there somewhere, like, "I'm going to get Christopher Walken..." etc. My sister and I came up with that. We both love Christopher Walken, but think he's seriously scary. And awesome when he reads "Good Night Moon." More cowbell! By the way, are you okay? E-mail me.

**LoveLock79**- Hee, everyone gets all indignant when I give cliffhangers, but those who have gotten used to it I cherish the most.

**lkwREADer**- Don't worry, you didn't offend me. It takes a lot to do that. I mean, a lot. I knew what you meant, but clarifying it like that made my month. I had a pretty crappy September, actually, but that's beyond the point. I might do other pairings, not sure yet those... definitely Doyle and Paris again, but then again, I want her to have more boyfriends cause she's so fun to write.

**Alicia Jo**- My safety is compromised, huh? And I don't think I could agree with you more as to why so many people love Tristan.

**PsychTnkrbll**- Jealousy, mother nature's way of saying, "So that's what you think, bitches?"

**MrsBoyscout**- I love Colin, even if I have to screw with his character a little bit to get him to my liking.

**Arillia-K**- Stephanie's still going to be in the story, just not as much. But remember, she's coming back.

**Coffeemilkshake**- Yay! I inspire dancing! This hasn't happened since... last week, when I went over to my friend's house. We all dance together. We're strange. We West Side Story'd it in Barns N Noble.

**LittleMissLikesToFight**- First off all, love your penname. Second of all, I love screwing with people, so that's why he didn't go to see her. Yet. I'm tricksy. And I love insane logic, it's won me many a debate... in my mind.

**MzFreak**- Phineas is a slut, and that's why we love him. Boy just likes his sex... a lot. Too much, some would say. Some who don't appreciate the fine art and sophistication of a sexy Australian. My taste in men goes from eccentric to perfect. I love drama guys the most though. And my boyfriend. Gotta like him. But the Sienna thing... destined to fail. Did you hear she cheated on him with his best friend? Screwed up relationship there. But I have a love-hate relationship with Logan on the show, and have a hate relationship with him in Rory/Logans. Haha. Oops?

**Bittersweetbloodbaby**- I blame Dan Palladino. For everything. Global warming, hurricanes, etc. etc.

**Ash-the-great**- Seriously? I mean, you actually think this shitty little story is worth that? Thank you!

**jmarit17**- Paris is seriously my favorite character.

**Gilmoregirl7878**- Damn, you're good. You're one of, like, 3 people that figured that out. Go you!


	19. Sail Away

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters. "Sail Away" belongs to David Grey.

Inspiration- _I've been talking drunken gibberish/ Falling in and out the bars/Trying to get some explanation here/For the way some people are_- "Sail Away" by David Grey

A/N: Does anyone remember this story? Anyone at all? You thought a rabid fan had found me, huh? Well, I know it's been almost 7 months since I updated. In that time, I've found my perfect man, so yes, a lot of my time has been spent thinking about him and being with him. In fact, the last time I updated was the day of my first date with him. In between that, I've been having family issues, personal issues, and school issues. And today I'm going prom dress shopping. Hee. Anywho, girly moment over. Long story short, I'm here again, and so is a new chapter. Happy reading!

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"Wow, even after all this time Mary still packs quite an emotional punch," Tristan teased after Finn finished telling him the story.

"Shut it," Finn grumbled. "As I'm sure you now quite well, getting rejected hurts."

"Apparently I don't know as well as you do."

Finn silenced him with a glare. The two were running errands for Stephanie's surprise going-away party. Logan, the organizer of said shindig, had doled out the tasks and then taken the day off to spend with Stephanie. Colin and Rory were in charge of food and drinks while Finn and Tristan were getting decorations and delivering them to the suite Logan had rented in Hartford.

In that two weeks, Finn had managed to speak to Rory a whopping three times. She knew he was avoiding her, so she just let it run its course. In the meantime, she was continuing to go out with Michael. Finn, on the other hand, tried his luck at sleeping with more woman than Charlie Watts. He claimed he was single-handedly trying to boost the economy through condom sales, but that was only good for a laugh and was actually a pretty crappy pick up line.

"Why am I doing this again?" Tristan whined for not the first time during the hour and a half car rid from New Haven to Hartford.

"Because you have no testicles?" Finn suggested, just a tad bit cranky. Tristan hadn't seen them in a while, and therefore had no way of knowing about Finn's never before seen bad mood.

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest and slid down in his seat like a child who was being punished. "I think she gave me the clap."

Finn sighed audibly. "She didn't give you the clap, mate."

"How do you know?"

"She got that cleared up two years ago, and has used condoms all the time since then. Plus, I always go with her to the gyno."

"You're a man of many mysteries, Mr. Finn."

"You know my love of alliteration too well, Mr. Tristan."

"What can I say, sugar? I know you very well," Tristan all but purred, his voice laced with innuendo.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"For someone getting laid at least twice a day, it's really doing nothing for your sunny demeanor."

Finn laughed, almost manically, and sped up his BMW. "Maybe. But bloody hell, Tristan. Lemme tell you a little story. I have not had a bad life. I grew up in Australia, rich as fuck, and got everything I wanted. The worst things in my life were an overbearing father and the family dog that died when I was eight."

"That's a nice story, Finn," Tristan replied patronizingly.

"The point, DuGrey, is that I'm in the middle of a bitch fit and you're the only fucking person not walking on eggshells around me, and it kinda turns me on. But it also pisses me off. See the conundrum?"

"So you're bat-shit crazy and it's finally coming out to the rest of the world?"

Finn smirked at his friend and turned up the radio.

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"What time is Logan arriving with Stephanie?" Robert asked.

Colin looked at his phone. "Twenty minutes."

"Where the fuck are Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum?" Rosemary sneered, picking at the dirt under her nails.

Juliet rolled her eyes. "Probably hit a tree."

"Drinking and driving?"

"Blowing and driving." The girls laughed and ordered more drinks. The party was in full swing. The only things missing were the girl of the hour, and the decorations.

"Did somebody mention blowjobs?" Finn bellowed from the doorway. He and Tristan were standing there with bags full of yellow and orange balloons. Suns hung from the ceiling and surfboards were being used as table tops. It was a California-themed party, complete with lots of oranges and grapes.

"Damn, Finn!" Juliet swatted his arm. He rubbed where she hit him and pouted. "What the fuck took you so long?"

"Logan's list was extensive. You'd think his wife was dying or something," Tristan whined.

"Somebody get Tristan a drink," Colin announced loudly. "He's lost his balls and thinks he can find them at the bottom of a shot glass."

"Suck my ball-less dick," Tristan retorted.

"I think the point if that they got here before Logan and Stephanie," Rory piped up. "And the room looks amazing."

Tristan shot her a grateful look, but Finn stalked off. "Now who needs balls?" Tristan quipped.

"Oh, let him pout," Colin said. "It's good for him." His phone beeped.

"Mary, Mary, Mary," Tristan chastised. "Still breaking hearts, I see."

"I didn't break his heart!" Rory exclaimed.

"You may not have broken his heart, but you definitely broke him in general." Tristan pointed to the bar where Finn was standing. "Look at that. It's his first beer! Shame on you, Rory Gilmore, you broke him."

Rory was becoming frustrated at Tristan's tirade. "Well you broke Stephanie, so fair's fair."

He glared at her. "That almost hurt."

Before Rory could retort, Colin jumped up on a table. "Attention good people, Stephanie and Logan are in the building. Cut the Beach Boys, turn off the lights, and hide like BTK escaped from prison."

Minutes later, after the last person had hidden, Stephanie and Logan walked in. He flipped the lights on to reveal the party.

"Surprise!"

Stephanie stepped back in genuine surprise with a hand over her heart. "A surprise party? For me? I thought I'd been disowned."

"Well, darling, consider yourself owned," Finn chimed in.

Stephanie laughed and turned to Logan. "And here I thought you were bringing me up here to have sex."

He smirked. "Disappointed?"

"Always."

"Don't worry, we'll get around to it before you leave."

"Logan, you can't get me drunk anymore. There go your chances. Go find yourself another stunning blonde-turned-brunette."

"Fine. But remember, I offered. They don't make them like this in California." He spread his arms apart and slowly turned around.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much."

"I'll miss you forever. I can't imagine my life without you for six months," he whispered.

"Seven."

"What?"

"Seven months. My lease is up at the end of July, so I'll be back by the beginning of August. Who knows? Maybe I'll have changed."

He drew back and tapped her on the nose. "I hope not, you're perfect just the way you are."

"Hey, mate!" Finn called out. "If you're gonna hog Stephanie all bloody night, maybe we should've left you two alone so you can shag her and be done with it. But, we'll leave you with a video camera, of course, 'cause I can come up with a name much more clever than _One Night in Paris_."

"I'm not hogging her," Logan shot back.

"Then send her my way so I can have one last chance to say inappropriate things to her."

Logan laughed and turned Stephanie to face Finn. "You heard the man." He gave her a smack on the ass to emphasize the point.

Soon, Stephanie was making the rounds, stopping to talk to every single person that was there.

"Rory!" she cried when she got to her.

"Stephanie!" Rory launched herself into Stephanie's arms, then immediately recoiled. "What?"

"What do you mean, 'what?' That was your own lame-ass hug."

"I could have sworn you winced."

"Yeah, it's almost that time of the month and my boobs are getting tender."

"Really? Mine never get tender. But I get very bloated."

"Well, I get the tender boobs but no bloating. Insane cramps, though."

"I hate cramps!"

"What are you two lovely ladies talking about?" Colin asked, ambling over.

"Bleeding out of our vaginas," Stephanie replied innocently.

Colin blinked and slowly turned around. "Finn! Stephanie hasn't had nearly enough to drink tonight."

"I'm not drinking, McCrea. It's been almost a month, and I think I'm doing well," Stephanie informed him.

"Steph's not drinking!" Finn called out to Colin.

"Thank you, Finn! Just got the memo," he muttered sarcastically.

"What time does your plane leave?" Rory asked.

"8:45 tomorrow. Ungodly, I know." She had already packed. Rory and Logan had helped her the week before and they got her stuff into a moving van that was California-bound.

"Stephanie!" Juliet called from across the room. "We have some questions for you!"

"Stephanie sighed. "No rest for the wicked."

"Or for the play," Rory quipped. "Call me when your plane lands?"

"I'll see you before the party ends."

"I know, but I'm getting this out now before I forget."

"You're going to forget that you're going to miss me terribly?" Stephanie questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"How could I forget that?"

"That's what you told me."

"I'm going to miss you, Stephanie."

"Rory Gilmore, you're the best girl friend I've ever had."

"Aw, how sappy," Finn interjected sarcastically from the bar.

Rory rolled her eyes and looked at Stephanie. "That's the most he's said to me in two weeks."

"Go talk to him," Stephanie urged.

"What's the point? I know why he's mad."

"Then dump Michael. His family's fucking crazy anyway. Go out with Finn. He'll treat you right."

"Finn?"

"Has he ever made you cry?"

Rory didn't answer her question. "Your captive audience is awaiting you."

"Go talk to him," Stephanie sang, but walked towards Juliet and Rosemary. "Do it as a favor for me."

Rory knew she couldn't get out of it. Stephanie wouldn't give up until she got her way, so it was now or later. Rip off the band aid and get it over with. She sucked in a breath and walked over to the bar where Finn was nursing a beer.

"Fun party. The decorations look great."

He looked at her in shock. "You know I'm avoiding you, right?"

"Oh, that's what's going on? I thought I was radiating Kryptonite," she joked.

"Cut the bullshit, love, why are you over here?"

"I came to talk to you."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. Without your wonderful insight, I never would have been able to figure that one out," he snapped sarcastically.

"You know what? I came over here to talk, see if maybe I could get you to stop avoiding me, but maybe that isn't such a good idea after all."

"Finally, you come to your bloody senses. I just can't talk to you right now. Do you understand that? Does that register in your fucking mind? It hurts to talk to you. It physically hurts, so no, I will not stop avoiding you, so too fucking bad. Just bloody deal with it already." He slammed his beer on the bar and walked off.

It took her all of five seconds to follow him. He had gone into the bathroom and was sitting on the counter.

"I don't love you," he informed her after she'd closed the door. "It may seem like it, like I'm acting like a fool in love or however that song goes, but I'm not."

"I didn't expect you to be."

He looked up at her. "I'd like to though."

She gasped. "What?"

"You heard me. I'd like a chance. So, do something to remember this, because you'll never hear me beg again: I want to be with you. I have for some time. It scares me shitless, I'm not gonna lie, but it also gives me hope that I'm not a soulless, sex-crazed bloody playboy. I want to be your boyfriend. I want to bring you flowers and have anniversaries and fight with you knowing there'll be make up sex later. Dump that whacker Michael and give me a chance."

There was silence when he was done with his speech. Rory was just staring at him. After almost three minutes of the agonizing quiet she said, "I dumped Michael yesterday. Therefore he won't be mad me when you kiss me."

That was all the invitation Finn needed. Within seconds one arm was around her waist and one was on her face and his lips were on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer.

"I'll keep it quiet. I won't tell the others if that just means you'll be my first girlfriend," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear, which made her shiver.

"You don't have to keep it quiet. I want you to shout it out if you can. But first, do one thing for me."

"Anything, love."

She leaned up, close to his face. "Kiss me again."

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A/N2: I don't have all the time in the world for thank you's. I wish I could thank you all personally, but alas, I have very little time. So, in lieu of that, I will just write out the pennames of everybody who reviewed, and you'll know that I want to thank each and every one of you, but this huge "Thank You All So Much" will have to do:

BrCl Girl, Harmony, HippieWinterSweet, GilmoreBoys, Angry Girl, mrmp, Danishgirl9, majit, kasplunk, coffee2lover, astragail, icy descent, generva, mel, silver blood, Heavenly Queen of Darkness, aCharmedOne, Alicia Jo, RavensWritingProphecies, Kalma999, great job, Gilmorecrazed2010, evelyn, bklyangel, marlee, alias89, PDLD4EVER, gskies, papaslittlecj, Irish-Chick13, Shawnee89, Thepersoniusedtobe, Pirate Keke, trorychic, rockrose, zetaphi7, special, Coffeemilkshake, Pocahontas83, princetongirl, Celtic Ember, riotgirllina, Alenor, Mrs Boyscout, breakfastclubjedi, LandonLover, ReeseAnn, Fallen Angel, Lalichan, kat, Bookworms, RavenEcho, quirkygrl, Poetic Angelica, rose217, satelliteblues21, Mr.Tre Cool, ktam36, soph, LittleByLittle, Hylle, KeitaWolf, wickedshizit, lkwREADer, lackinglime123, MzFreak, jmarit17, Gilmorefan31, Kylie1403, crissy, Bittersweetbloodbaby, LittleMissLikesToFight, Gilmoregirl7878, Brianna London


	20. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

My betas: **Landon Lover** and **Bookworms**

A/N: Hmm, only about a month and a half this time. Well, it's been a fun ride, but this is it. I've enjoyed writing this, and now it's time to move on. I may write a spin-off about Stephanie's time in California, but that's a maybe. Anyway, thank you all for supporting me, I couldn't have done it without you!

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"And so I raise my glass to the greatest couple I know. May they have all the happiness in life and in marriage that they deserve," Logan finished. He raised his champagne flute high in the air.

Finn put both arms around Rory and pulled her close. She leaned into his embrace and scanned the crowd. Her mother and Luke were sitting only a few feet away. Stephanie was next to them with her daughter, Veronica. Stephanie had found out she was pregnant a month before she went to California. After much confusion, it had been determined that the father was Tristan. He showered his daughter with love and gifts, but she was closer to Stephanie's husband, whom she'd met while in California.

Lane was getting ready for the next set with the band. Paris and Doyle, who had gotten back together for the final time only a year before, were wrapped up in their own engagement bliss.

"Love," Finn whispered in her ear, nipping it slightly.

"Yeah, Finn?"

"Don't drink too much," he warned.

"Why not? Our flight isn't until tomorrow afternoon."

He breathed hot air into her ear. "I'll be keeping you up all night, and I'll need all of your stamina."

She giggled and kissed him. He pulled her onto his lap while the rest of the wedding party cheered.

"Finn, save that for tonight!" Colin yelled.

"Save what for tonight? That was completely innocent compared to tonight." He winked at Rory.

She blushed and pulled Finn in for another kiss. "How am I going to live with you for the rest of my life?"

"The same way you've been living with me for the past year." He ended his sentence by kissing her on the top of her nose. "I've seen you in bad, I've seen you in good, and Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-Beaumont, I finally get to see you everyday until I die. And hopefully you'll be naked at least ninety percent of the time. Or at least not wearing panties." He gave her an exaggerated eyebrow waggle.

She laughed. "Then you'll be happy to know that I'm not wearing any right now."

"My little minx. You get something special when I take the garter off. If I hadn't already done so, I'd ask you to marry me."

"Well, I'm glad you already did. Because I couldn't wait another moment to have you forever."

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"What time does our flight leave?" Finn asked later that night. They were in their hotel suite, cuddling in bed after having consummated their marriage – a phrase Finn couldn't get through saying without laughing – four times.

"Hmm?" Rory was laying against his chest and lazily drawing geometric shapes with her finger. His chest never ceased to fascinate her. There was a scar on his stomach ("woodshop gone wrong," he'd told her) that was the only thing marring his toned and surprisingly tan chest.

"Our flight, love," he repeated. "What time does it leave?"

"One-thirty in the afternoon. So we have to be there by twelve."

"And this flight, would it involve us moving in any way, shape or form?"

"In the traditional sense of the word?"

"Always, for what am I but traditional?"

"Unfortunately, it would."

He reached down and ran his fingers through her hair. "Why can't we stay like this forever?"

"Because we're not John Lennon and Yoko Ono in Amsterdam."

"But seriously, darling. Why can't we stay content and lovely like this until we die?"

"Because that would be creepy. Would you really want to stay like this forever and ever, doing nothing else?"

"Well, shagging you senseless once every five hours is just a given. But otherwise, I don't believe that we should leave this bed ever."

"What would we eat?" He looked down at her and smirked. She groaned. "Forget I asked."

"Hey, love?"

"Yes, sugar?" she asked sweetly.

He laughed. "You don't need a pet name for me, darling. I like to hear you say my own name. Not my given name, of course, but the name you usually call me. I even like it when you're mad. But especially when you're moaning."

She ignored that last comment. "You were saying before?"

"Oh yes, where was I?" He cleared his throat theatrically. "Mrs. Phineas Beaumont, care to shag again?"

She laughed. "And here I was expecting something romantic."

"Love, are you insinuating that what I just said was not, in fact, romantic enough for you? That was plenty romantic. I could have asked if it would be possible to insert my penis into your vagina again. Repeatedly. Until you're screaming my name. Would you like that better?"

"Not in so many words."

"See, I win."

She rolled her eyes. "You really think you're that good?"

"I repeat, care to shag again?"

"Five times? I think we may pass our record, dear husband. Did you take one of those creepy pills they advertise on TV?"

He reached down and kissed her again. "You're all the creepy pill I need. And besides, darling, I did tell you that you'd need your stamina tonight."

She smiled. "I love you."

"I love you as well. Always and forever."

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_Thank yous:_

**Tooki**- Haha, I think I may have made Finn his own character. I watch the show and Finn'll say something, and I'll accuse ASP of copywriting me. But then I'm crazy.

**Mr./Mrs. X**- This one is your favorite? Thank you! It's mine too, haha. I know there are typos, but hopefully not in the later chapters. I got a beta only halfway through the story. But she's an amazing beta. Thank you for choosing this one as your favorite!

**KeitaWolf**- Rory gets all the hot men cause she's a selfish bitch. But I can't stop writing her. Anyway…I love Finn and all his Finn-ness. I'm thinking of writing a fic solely with Naked!Finn. What do you think?

**Genevah**- Thank you, prom was awesome. But my Mr. Perfect? Is no Finn… unfortunately. That would be 100 kinds of awesome… oh man, I want a Finn too…

**satelliteblues21**- Haha. Not pathetic. Lame, maybe, but didn't you hear? Lame is the new awesome. That's how I get away with stuff. Oh man, weirdest thing: I just got a call from a crazy Italian man asking me "Wassup?" No, seriously. It's 9 in the morning, imagine if I'd actually been sleeping…

**Forensic Photographer711**- You're making me blush with all your compliments, thank you.

**wickedshizit**- I look for realistic. But thank you. I try to make the fans happy.

**just hidden**- You know my weakness. I love it when you quote back, because it makes me seems as though I'm making somebody laugh, and I like making people laugh. Oh man, you're awesome. Thank you so much.

**LandonLover**- Don't worry, you're an awesome beta.

**BrCl Girl**- I just love it when the characters talk. That's my favorite part about writing. If I could write a whole story with no plot, just Stephanie, Tristan, Finn, Colin, and Logan talking, I think that would be my favorite story ever. No Rory, though. Just because I write her doesn't mean I particularly enjoy her character, haha. Anyway, thank you for reviewing. And thank you for reviewing my other story! It made me smile.

**Alicia Jo**- You win at life as well. Just because of all of your awesomeness.

**:D**- Your addiction? I kinda like the sound of that.

**Lifeisconfusing**, **meh**, **Coffee91**, **clavira89**, **Alenor**, **venus mixtape**, **megliz716**, **lackinglime123**, **Bookworms**, **Silky1107**, **Mary89**,**harvard-bound-hopefully2010**, **spinaround**, **crissy**, **ReeseAnn**, **OTHfan4life8694**, **astragail**, **frackandbonechick**, **Hcrobe0**, **majit**, **Me.No.Read**, **breakfastclubjedi**, **Kylie1403**, **zetaphi7**, **Chelle5**, **Spreeaholic1**, **Arillia-K**, **Natalie**, **absox**, **Gilmoregirl7878**, **mrmp**, **rockrose**

_Thank you everyone who reviewed, and who stuck with me this whole story. Or who just found it. Or who reads it but doesn't review. Every single one of you make me smile. Thank you for giving this story about an unconventional couple a chance. You made it worth it._


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